CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Virgin Islands Police have made an arrest in a three-month-old sexual assault investigation on St. Thomas.
Bernard O. James Jr., 45, was arrested Tuesday and charged with second-degree aggravated rape, first-degree rape, second-degree rape and first-degree unlawful sexual contact, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Officers of the Richard Callwood Command were dispatched to the area of Oswald Harris Court in response to a call for service regarding an assault on August 30, 2022, according to the VIPD.
“Investigation revealed that a sexual assault had been committed against a female by a male,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said. “Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau contacted the victim in this matter and the investigation is ongoing.”
An arrest warrant was issued by the Superior Court Magistrate for Bernard James Jr. on Monday, police said.
James, Jr., along with his legal counsel surrendered himself at the Richard Callwood Command on Tuesday without incident, according to Dratte.
He was booked, processed, and remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending an advice-of-rights hearing, set for today.
Bail for James was set at $150,000.00 per the Order of the Magistrate Court.
This case is presently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Any persons having information regarding this incident are asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340) 774-2211 ext. 5576/5572. Also contact can be made to 911, Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477, the Chief’s Office at (340) 715-5548 or the Commissioner’s Office at (340) 715-5506.
[wpedon id=23995]
