CHRISTIANSTED — Three St. Croix men were charged after a routine traffic stop led to arrests on gun and ammunition charges this weekend. authorities said.
Thymothy Rodriquez, 20, Mark E. Prince, 20, and Jacob A. Turnbull, 19, were arrested Saturday and charged with carrying of a firearm openly or concealed and possession or sale of ammunition, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began on November 10, 2024, when the Special Operations Bureau (SOB) Tactical Team was on patrol in Christiansted Town and conducted a traffic stop of a 2010 Honda Civic, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mug shot of Thymothy Rodriquez, 20, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Upon stopping the vehicle, officers detected the scent of marijuana coming from inside of the vehicle, police said.
The driver and passengers were ordered to exit the sedan, and a search was conducted of the vehicle, according to police.
“The officers discovered two unlicensed firearms, an American Tactical Titan .45 Caliber handgun and ‘Ghost Gun’ 9mm,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said. “The .45 Caliber was loaded with a chambered round and an extended loaded magazine was also recovered from inside the vehicle. The 9mm handgun was also loaded with a chambered round.’
VIPD mug shot of Mark E. Price, 20, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Rodriquez, Prince and Turnbull were read their Miranda Rights, booked and processed.
Bail for the three suspects was set at $50,000.00. Unable to post bail, each man was transferred to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the Golden Grove prison.
Rodriguez, Prince and Turnbull are each scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court.
VIPD mug shot of Jacob A. Turnbull, 19, of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
