CHRISTIANSTED — Two masked men are in custody today after an alert police detective heard gunfire in Gallows Bay and pursued two suspects after they drove away.
Ramon Mateo III. 27, and Califf J. Cassius, 20, were each arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and carrying or using an unlicensed firearm during a crime of violence, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began at 9:03 p.m. Sunday, when the detective relayed to police command that he was in pursuit of the two suspects, according to the VIPD.
RELEASED FROM PRISON IN DECEMBER 2020: Ramon Mateo III, 27, of St. Croix.
As the detective approached Green Street, he observed a blue 4-door Toyota Corolla exiting Green Street and two males with face coverings, police said.
Detectives followed the vehicle and C Command Patrol Units intercepted the vehicle with a traffic stop on Northside Road, according to police.
Mateo and Cassius were ordered to exit the vehicle and they were detained, police said.
At this point, the driver, identified as Mateo, exited the vehicle and shouted, “I don’t consent to have my vehicle searched,” according to police.
VIPD mug shot of Califf J. Cassius, 20, of St. Croix.
The assigned detective was able to obtain a telephonic search warrant for the vehicle, police said.
“The vehicle was searched, and two firearms were recovered; a Glock-type ghost pistol firearm 9mm with a tan extended 31-capacity magazine with twenty-three 9mm rounds inside and an AR-type ghost gun with a black extended magazine with seven live .223 rounds,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
Each firearm had a round in the chamber, according to Chichester. The scene on Green Street was processed, and multiple .223 and 9mm spent casings were recovered there, she said.
Mateo and Cassius were each advised of their Miranda Rights at the police station and declined to provide a statement to officers.
Bail for Mateo and Cassus was set at $100,000.00 each. Unable to post bail, they were booked and processed.
The two suspects were then transported to the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility where they were remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections.
Mateo and Cassius are scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court.
In December 2020, Mateo was granted release from prison after his conviction for first-degree assault.