By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
FREDERIKSTED — Court documents filed this morning reveal new details in the early morning VIPD raid at Croixville Apartments that led to the arrest of 23-year-old Omani Abraham on felony illegal firearm and ammunition charges.
According to a sworn Probable Cause Fact Sheet filed in Superior Court, members of the VIPD Criminal Investigation Bureau and Special Operations Bureau executed a search warrant at Croixville Apartments, Building C, Unit 11, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Monday, July 20.
The search and arrest warrants issued by Magistrate Judge Yolan Brow Ross were originally targeted for another resident, Akeem Matthew. After knocking and announcing their presence without a response, officers breached the front door.
Inside the apartment, officers detained Abraham and a woman identified as Yaneris Marchena.
During a search of the southwestern bedroom, detectives recovered a loaded Glock 27 handgun with an obliterated serial number on the top shelf of a closet. The weapon had a black magazine inserted with eight live rounds, and an additional magazine and a box of .40 S&W ammunition were located nearby. Officers also seized 17 vials of a green leafy substance found inside a Crown Royal bag on the bedroom floor.
Both occupants were transported to VIPD Operations at Mars Hill for questioning. Under interrogation, Abraham signed a Constitutional Rights warning form and admitted to detectives that the handgun found in the closet belonged to him, while denying ownership of any other items in the residence. Abraham also voluntarily submitted a DNA sample.
A check with the VIPD Firearms Bureau confirmed Abraham holds no license to possess or carry a firearm or ammunition in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Abraham was charged with Carrying of a Firearm Openly or Concealed (14 V.I.C. § 2253(a)) and Possession of Ammunition (14 V.I.C. § 2256(a)). Unable to post $50,000 bail, he was remanded to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility in Golden Grove pending an Advice of Rights hearing scheduled for Tuesday morning.
CASE DETAILS:
- The Original Target: The early morning (4:00 a.m.) raid on Bldg. C, Unit 11 was actually executing a search and arrest warrant for Akeem Matthew.
- Specific Weapons/Contraband Recovered: Officers found a loaded Glock 27 handgun with an obliterated serial number in a closet, an extra magazine, a box of .40 S&W ammo, and 17 vials of marijuana in a Crown Royal bag on the floor.
- The Admission: When interviewed at Mars Hill, Abraham explicitly told detectives, “The firearm inside the bedroom belongs to me,” though he denied owning the rest of the items in the apartment.
- Others Present: A woman, Yaneris Marchena, was also detained at the scene.
- Bail & Court Date: His bail was set at $50,000, and he was remanded to John A. Bell pending his Advice of Rights hearing scheduled for 9:00 a.m. today (July 21, 2026)