John McCarthy
By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
FREDERIKSTED — A 29-year-old man who fled the territory after being shot in a St. Croix residential neighborhood is back in local custody this weekend following a successful interstate extradition operation.
The Virgin Islands Police Department announced that Jomar Sanes was returned to St. Croix on Friday, July 3, 2026, to face formal charges of carrying a firearm openly or concealed and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The suspect’s booking photo, provided by authorities, follows an investigation that began with a late-night outbreak of violence more than two months ago.
The Castle Burke Shooting and Discovery
According to police reports, the 911 Emergency Call Center received multiple urgent reports of shots fired in the Castle Burke area at approximately 11:25 p.m. on April 26, 2026.
Responding patrol officers arrived on the scene to find Sanes suffering from several gunshot wounds. An ambulance transported him to the Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital for emergency medical treatment.
However, the emergency lifesaving response quickly shifted into a criminal investigation. While hospital staff and first responders were treating Sanes, an unlicensed firearm was discovered directly in his possession.
A subsequent records check confirmed that Sanes did not possess a valid license to carry or own a firearm in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Investigators with the Criminal Investigation Bureau quickly secured an arrest warrant from the Superior Court, but by the time the paperwork was finalized, Sanes had already fled the island.
The Flight and Florida Apprehension
Detectives entered the active arrest warrant into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, triggering a nationwide manhunt. The tracking effort paid off on or about June 18, 2026, when law enforcement officials in Florida located and detained Sanes based on the territory’s active warrant.
On July 3, CIB detectives traveled to Florida, took custody of Sanes, and escorted him back to St. Croix for formal processing.
Unable to post a $50,000.00 bail, Sanes was remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility in Golden Grove. He is currently held pending his advice of rights hearing scheduled for tomorrow morning, Monday, July 6, 2026, at the Superior Court.
