John McCarthy
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Charlotte Amalie West man was arrested yesterday and charged with the rape of a child on St. Thomas three months ago, authorities said.
Mackeem Appleton, 28, of Contant Knolls, was arrested at 6:20 p.m. Wednesday and charged with second-degree rape, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child abuse, unlawful sexual contact, second-degree aggravated rape, and prohibition of visual medium depicting sexually explicit conduct, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
“Appleton is accused of the sexual assault of a female minor in an incident that occurred on July 1 at his residence,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
He was turned over to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections after failing to post $100,000 bail, pending his Advice of Rights hearing.
Appleton said on social media that he attended Ivanna Eudora Kean High School and the University of Miami.
This case is still under active investigation. Anyone with information should call 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340) 774-2211 extension 5572, or Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-8477.
All individuals listed as arrested or charged with a crime in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
