‘Smell of Marijuana’ Cued Cops To Man With Illegal Gun At F’sted Vegetable Market

FREDERIKSTED — Virgin Islands Police said that Special Operations Bureau (SOB) officers were on patrol in St. Croix “when a strong odor of marijuana emanated from the area of the vegetable market.”

Sekani Russell, 24, of St. Croix, was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm — openly or concealed, possession of ammunition, and failure to register a firearm, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.

“As the officers exited their marked police vehicles to conduct a check of the market, a male quickly picked up a white plastic bag and a black shoulder bag off the concrete table and began walking toward a silver vehicle that was parked next to the vegetable market,” VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.

Russell “was ordered to stop several times by an officer, which he refused to do,” according to Dratte.

“As officers approached Mr. Russell, he placed the white plastic bag on the roof of the silver vehicle. Several clear vials with a green leafy substance began to roll out from the white plastic bag,” the police spokesman said. “Mr. Russell was then given a verbal command to place his hands behind his back, which he did without any incident. A search of the black shoulder bag revealed a loaded .38Special handgun.”

Bail for Russell was set at $50,000. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending an advice-of-right hearing.