KINGSHILL — A St. Croix woman who tried to hop a plane to avoid fraud charges for allegedly using her boss’ credit cards to pay her utility bills was arrested Thursday at the Henry Rohlsen Airport as she attempted to board a departing flight for Florida.
Jahreema Barnes, 39, was arrested and charged with fraudulent use of a credit card, obtaining money by false pretenses, grand larceny, and access to computers for fraudulent purposes, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The Economic Crimes Unit began an investigation on November 11, 2022 into several complaints filed by TBKC, LLC on Strand Street in Christiansted against Barnes, according to the VIPD.
Their investigation revealed that in one incident, while Barnes was employed as a manager at the business, she knowingly and intentionally used one of the business owner’s Pentagon Federal Credit Union Visa credit cards on two separate occasions totaling $1,023.00, which was used to pay her Water and Power Authority and AT&T bills without authorization, VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.
An arrest warrant was obtained for Jahreema Barnes in reference to this matter, according to Dratte.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection office contacted the VIPD National Crime Information Center on Thursday in reference to Jahreema Barnes being present at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, attempting to board a flight to Florida, the police spokesman said.
Economic Crimes Unit detectives traveled to the Henry E. Rohlsen airport, where Barnes was served with a warrant for her arrest. She was advised of her Miranda Rights, and placed under arrest without incident, police said.
Barnes was then taken to the Police Operations Building in Mars Hill, where she was subsequently, booked on fraud-related charges.
Bail for Barnes was set at $10,000.00. Unable to post bail, she was remanded to custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the John A. Bell Adult Correction Facility pending an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court.