CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man who was observed on a home surveillance video putting a gun in a duffel bag near a public school has been charged with three counts of illegal gun possession, authorities said.
Akeem Julien, 24, of Hospital Ground, has been charged in a criminal complain with possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of a firearm within a school zone and unauthorized possession of a firearm within the territory of the Virgin Islands, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said.
According to a sworn affidavit filed in the case, on April 8, a video from a home surveillance camera located in the Hospital Ground area of St. Thomas captured Julien climbing over a railing and onto a patio in view of the camera recording the video. Julien was in possession of a black bag.
Julien was observed in the video picking up a handgun and placing it inside a black bag in his possession. This black bag was found later in a nearby residence, and contained an AK-type 7.62mm pistol with an obliterated serial number; a Glock .45 caliber handgun and a Glock 10mm; and multiple magazines with various ammunition.
The Memorial Moravian Elementary School is located within 1,000 feet of the residence where the video surveillance was recorded.
Julien does not have a license to carry firearms within the territory of
the Virgin Islands.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD).
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Payne, Juan Albino and Everard Potter.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charging document, and is not in and of itself evidence of guilt, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands said.
“Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” Shappert said.