CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The second of two men arrested for attempting to smuggle more than 1,307 pounds of marijuana by boat into the region has been found guilty, authorities said. Cristian Valencia Mendoza of Colombia was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A native of Costa Rica admitted in federal court that he captained a vessel that tried to introduce at least 1,307 pounds of marijuana into the region, authorities said. Hansel Andres Centeno-Arriola of San José pled guilty on Friday to possession of a controlled substance with Intent

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A California resident was detained by federal officers for an outstanding warrant at the St. Thomas airport on Friday, authorities said. Raquel Antoinette Huff, 24, of Oakland, was flagged by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about 3:45 p.m. Friday at the Cyril E. King Airport for

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Puerto Rican boat captain was sentenced to a half year in prison and will lose his boat after he knowingly transporting illegal aliens for “commercial advantage or private financial gain,” authorities said. Arturo Serrano-Arizmendi, 27, of Culebra, Puerto Rico, was sentenced Thursday after being convicted of

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The owner of a Puerto Rico-based construction company who fraudulently obtained about $800,000 in disaster relief funds intended to help the territory rebuild after the 2017 hurricanes has been sentenced to 1.16 years in prison. Juli Campbell of Florida was sentenced to 14 months in prison for

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Federal court documents detail how a local rental car business allowed Paul “Bogus” Girard to launder ill-gotten money while crime lieutenants committed serial murders so the St. Croix man could maintain his dominance of the U.S. Virgin Islands criminal underworld. Robert Brown, 30, and Etherneal Simon, 49,

CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix convicted felon who tried to hide the shipment of a machine pistol, magazines and ammunition to himself by mixing them in to a shipment of tools was given 4.833 years in prison by a federal judge. William Payne, 39, of St. Croix, was sentenced on

CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix woman who presented herself as a top Virgin Islands National Guard commander and a local fashion model was sentenced to one year in prison after being convicted of 48 counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money. Aesha Rivers, 44, of

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man with a history of assault using a dangerous weapon admitted in federal court that he was a convicted felon with a handgun. Jabari Hodge, 29, of St. Thomas pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm in U.S. District

CHRISTIANSTED — A St. Croix man has been arrested for his alleged role in an attempted robbery of a fast food restaurant two days ago, authorities said. Akemoi J. Simmonds, 18, of Estate Rattan has been charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, the Virgin Islands Police Department said tonight.