John McCarthy
A Midnight Traffic Violation Triggers a Felony Investigation
By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — What began as a standard midnight traffic violation on the streets of Charlotte Amalie quickly escalated into a high-dollar illegal weapons seizure along the waterfront.
The proactive enforcement action occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, when police officers operating a marked patrol unit were waiting at a red stoplight at the eastbound intersection of Veterans Drive and Raadets Gade.
While waiting, the officers observed a blue Toyota SUV traveling westward that completely ignored the red signal, flying through the intersection and forcing officers to immediately activate their emergency lights to execute a traffic stop.
Narcotics Confession and a Bumper-to-Bumper Vehicle Search
The driver, identified as Jeffrey Lewis, immediately exited his SUV to confront law enforcement, prompting officers to activate their body-worn cameras for safety.
During a routine safety pat-down, Lewis openly admitted to possessing illegal contraband, informing officers that he had marijuana tucked into his pants pocket.
Lewis reached in and pulled out a pouch containing a medium-sized clear plastic bag filled with a green leafy substance that subsequently field-tested positive for marijuana.
This immediate admission and physical evidence provided the patrol unit with direct legal probable cause to execute a comprehensive, bumper-to-bumper search of the SUV’s interior.
A Live Round Chambered for Personal Protection
The thorough search of the vehicle’s rear compartment yielded immediate criminal results.
On the passenger-side rear seat, officers located and opened a backpack containing a black FNH FNS-9C .9mm semi-automatic firearm resting inside a specialized holster.
A mechanical inspection of the weapon revealed it was fully functional and incredibly dangerous: it featured a 12-round capacity magazine packed with live ammunition, including a live round already chambered directly in the firing position.
When questioned, Lewis admitted he did not possess a license to carry a firearm anywhere in the Virgin Islands, later telling booking officers that he kept the loaded weapon strictly for protection on the streets.
Lewis was booked, hit with a heavy court-ordered bail of $75,000, and remanded to the Bureau of Corrections on charges of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.
