ST. THOMAS — United States Attorney Delia L. Smith has announced that Augusto Rodriguez-Molina, a 37-year-old Tortola resident and Dominican Republic national, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for cocaine smuggling. The sentence, issued by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis, also includes two years of supervised release post-incarceration.

Rodriguez-Molina was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, on January 9, 2022, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations intercepted a suspicious, unmarked vessel northeast of St. Croix in international waters, a known drug trafficking zone. The vessel, showing no signs of nationality, was considered stateless and thus under U.S. jurisdiction.

Found aboard the vessel with Rodriguez-Molina were three other British Virgin Islanders: Shannon John, Sean John, and Emmanuel Tolentino-Lebron. The authorities seized 567 kilograms of cocaine from the vessel. All involved parties have pleaded guilty to charges of cocaine conspiracy, with sentences ranging from 57 to 70 months in prison.

This interception was a collaborative effort between Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which aims to dismantle major criminal organizations that threaten national security. Further information on the OCDETF program can be found on the Justice Department’s website.

A St. Croix man, Ambrose Daniel, aged 44, faces serious allegations following a federal grand jury indictment for various firearm violations, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Daniel was brought before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III for arraignment after the indictment, which includes charges of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and unlawful possession of a machine gun.

The legal actions against Daniel originated from a May 10, 2019, raid on his residence in the All for the Better neighborhood of St. Croix. Federal authorities confiscated a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, 48 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, and a conversion device that could modify the pistol into a fully automatic weapon.

Daniel’s criminal history includes a 1997 felony conviction for third-degree assault in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, which bars him from legally owning firearms.

The potential consequences for these charges could be severe, with Daniel facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted. The sentencing will be at the discretion of a federal district court judge, based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in collaboration with the Virgin Islands Police Department, is handling the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston is leading the prosecution.

This case is a component of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, a nationwide campaign aimed at reducing violent crime and enhancing safety in communities across the United States. More details on this initiative can be found on the Department of Justice’s website.

Authorities in St. Croix have apprehended 22-year-old Terrell Johnson late Friday night, linking him to a gunfire incident that took place on the Kings Alley Boardwalk in Christiansted earlier in the year. This arrest was made at the Gateway Service Station in Peter’s Rest at around 10:40 pm on May 11, 2024, as a part of the Safe Street Gun Violence Initiative, following a warrant issued for events dating back to February.

The arrest stems from an incident on February 10, 2024, when Johnson was reportedly seen on surveillance video firing a gun amid the crowded Cruzian Bayou Bistro on the boardwalk. The footage indicated that several people were in close proximity at the time, underlining the perilous nature of the act.

Following the arrest, Magistrate Ernest E. Morris Jr. set Johnson’s bail at $100,000, which he has not posted. Johnson is scheduled for an advise of rights hearing today.