FREDERIKSTED — A man was arrested on St. Croix after police pulled him over during a traffic stop on the Melvin Evans Highway and discovered a cache of weapons and ammunition in his vehicle.
Jorge Ayala, 19, of Estate Paradise, was arrested at 8:44 p.m. Friday and charged with carrying of a firearm openly or concealed and possession or sale of ammunition, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began on Friday night, when the Special Operations Bureau, on mobile patrol as part of “Operation Set De Tone,” conducted a traffic stop on a Silver Toyota Camry, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Jorge Ayala, 19, of Paradise Mills in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Special Operations Bureau Tactical Team observed that the vehicle was being operated on the public road without any rear taillights, brake lights and also without a license plate affixed to the front bumper of said vehicle, police said.
When SOB officers stopped the vehicle, they observed the front seat passenger with what appeared to be a gun holster in the waistband of his pants, according to police.
At that point, the driver and passenger were each ordered out of the vehicle, VIPD Communications Director Glen Dratte said.
“While the suspect was still seated in the vehicle, the officers heard what sounded like a solid object fall from Jorge Ayala’s person and onto the floorboard of the vehicle,” Director Dratte stated. “The solid object was black in color 45. Caliber handgun with a fully loaded 17 capacity magazine inserted into the magazine well of the handgun.”
Ayala claimed ownership of the handgun at that time; but the suspect does not have a license to possess a weapon in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to Director Dratte.
Based on the above, Jorge Ayala, an adult male, was subsequently placed under arrest for the above-mentioned offenses and other related weapon offenses.
