CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix man faces illegal gun and related charges after being pulled over for a traffic stop near the Golden Rock Shopping Center on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.
Jose Pesante, 36, was arrested Saturday and charged with carrying of a firearm openly or concealed and possession or sale of ammunition, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Officers assigned to the Special Operations Bureau (SOB) Tactical Team as part of “Operation Set De Tone” were on patrol on Northside Road about 1:01 p.m. Saturday, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Jose Pesante, 36, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
As officers in a patrol vehicle approached G Max Service Station in Golden Rock, they observed a Toyota Tacoma pickup being operated by an Hispanic male who was not wearing a seatbelt, police said.
The Toyota Tacoma suddenly made a U-turn in the roadway and drove back into the area of G Max Service Station, according to police.
SOB Officers conducted a traffic stop and as the driver, Jose Pesante, police said.
Officers directed Pesante to exit the vehicle, and when he did, officers immediately smelled what appeared to be a strong odor of marijuana emanating from Pesante and from inside the vehicle, according to police.
Pesante was advised that a search would be conducted of his vehicle and that he would be patted down for safety, police said.
Officers told Pesante the search was needed to ensure that he did not have any weapons or objects on his person that could be dangerous to him or the officers’ safety, according to police.
At that time, Pesante, owned up to an officer that he had a gun on his person, police said.
“The officer conducted the search and discovered a Glock 23 model handgun .40 Caliber which was a “Ghost Gun” tucked in Pesante’s waistline,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said. “Pesante does not have a license to carry or posses a firearm.”
Upon the officer seizing the firearm, Pesante was immediately taken into official custody, according to Chichester.
Bail for Pesante was set at $50,000.00. The suspect was scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court on Monday.
