Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

BVI Man Arrested For Bringing Four Haitian Nationals Into Territory
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A British Virgin Islands native was charged today with trying to smuggle four Haitian nationals into the territory. Ernest Williams, 25, of Road Town, Tortola, was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with bringing aliens into the United States, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. Daline

Two South American Men Get Seven Weeks In Prison For Illegal Entry
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – Two South American men were given just over seven weeks in prison for coming to the United States illegally. Dionis Luiz Gomez, 31, of Venezuela and Roman Perez Hernandez, 34, of Argentina were sentenced today to 52 days for illegal entry, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said.

Dominican Deported Last Year Gets 1.75 Years In Prison For Coming Back This Year
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A Dominican Republic native who was deported from the United States last year for drug trafficking got 1.75 years in prison from a federal judge for trying to sneak into the territory in May. Victor Gonzalez Rodriquez, 35, of Santo Domingo, was sentenced on Wednesday in U.S.

BVI Native Faces 10 Years In Prison For Allegedly Smuggling 11 Pounds of Cocaine
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A federal grand jury decided that a British Virgin Islands native must stand trial for allegedly bringing 11 pounds of cocaine by ferry boat to the territory. A federal Grand Jury today returned an indictment against Shane C. Freeman, 32, of Road Town, Tortola charging him with

BVI Native Gets 10 Years In Prison For Hiding 22 Pounds of Cocaine In Beer Coolers
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A British Virgin Islands native was given 10 years in prison by a federal judge today for smuggling 22 pounds of cocaine through the airport in St. Thomas. Ashley Warner, 54, of Road Town, Tortola, was handed that sentence by U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez for

Dominican Who Tried To Sneak In On St. John Under Cover of Darkness Gets 45 Days
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A Dominican Republic native got 1.5 months in prison for entering the United States illegally here. Juan Lorenzo Matias Peralta, 38, of Santo Domingo was sentenced today 45 days for illegal entry, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert said. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller also ordered Peralta to pay a $10

St. Croix’s Carlyle Ham Fooled Into Thinking Federal Agents Were 14-Year-Old Boy
CHRISTIANSTED – Federal agents posing as a fictional 14-year-old boy stung a 63-year-old St. Croix man as a would-be pedophile. United States Attorney Gretchen C. F. Shappert said today that Carlyle Ham pleaded guilty this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr. to attempted coercion and enticement for illegal

St. John Man and Native of Dominican Republic Admit To Smuggling Illegal Aliens Here
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A St. John man and a native of the Dominican Republic admitted in federal court that they tried to smuggle illegal aliens into the territory, authorities said. Brice Todman, 36, of Cruz Bay, and Jose Alfredo Rondon Castro, 40, of the Santo Domingo, each pleaded guilty today

St. Thomas Man Faces Life In Prison For Trying To Move 50 Pounds of Cocaine To Atlanta
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A St. Thomas man who admitted in federal court that he tried to move 50 pounds of cocaine to Atlanta on a commercial flight faces a possible life sentence, authorities said. Shahime “Prettyboyswagg” Ludvig, Jr., 20, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez to

Dominican Republic and Venezuelan Illegals Admit To Coming To USVI Illegally
CHARLOTTE AMALIE – A native of the Dominican Republic and a native of Venezuela admitted in federal court that they came to the United States illegally. Juan Lorenzo Matias Peralta, 38, of Santo Domingo and Dionis Alexander Luis Gomez, 31, of Caracas, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Magistrate Court before U.S.