CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A South Carolina man made his initial appearance in St. Thomas before a federal judge after his arrest based on fugitive-from-justice charges from the U.S. mainland, authorities said.
Maurice Eugene Tucker, 35, of Columbia, heard from U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller that he is currently wanted for illegal weapon possession in South Carolina, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
Tucker was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond and other conditions to allow him to return to Columbia, South Carolina for further court proceedings.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2021, a South Carolina grand jury returned an indictment charging Tucker with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On May 15, 2022, Tucker was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Cyril E. King Airport after he appeared for primary inspection before boarding a flight to the mainland.
Thereafter, Tucker was arrested and taken into custody by officers of the Virgin Islands Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the
District of South Carolina.
United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt.
Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.