At the Candido Guadalupe Housing Complex in St. Croix, a report of domestic violence on Sunday afternoon quickly turned perilous for responding officers, culminating in attempted murder charges for 37-year-old Joseph Anthony Ramirez.

The sequence of events unfolded when the Virgin Islands Police Department received a call around 2:33 p.m. from the 911 Emergency Call Center regarding a disturbance at apartment 85, building 7. Upon arrival, officers were informed by the victim that Ramirez had vandalized her apartment. As one officer began to investigate, Ramirez unexpectedly attacked, initiating an assault by placing the officer in a chokehold, threatening his ability to breathe.

The attack escalated even after a good Samaritan and the victim intervened, enabling the officer to momentarily escape. Despite being informed of his arrest, Ramirez attacked again, this time inflicting a severe laceration above the officer’s eyelid and resuming the chokehold. The situation required backup, with two additional officers arriving at the scene before Ramirez could be subdued and arrested.

Charged with attempted murder and third-degree assault, Ramirez was subsequently read his Miranda Rights, booked, and transported to the John Bell Correctional Facility. Unable to meet the initial $100,000 bail, Ramirez was held until a court hearing on Tuesday where his bail was reduced to $10,000. He remains in custody, with a bail hearing scheduled for later today, May 15.

A St. Croix woman, Ana Felix, has been charged with felony child neglect after her children were reportedly left unattended while she attended a party. This incident came to light when a 3-year-old boy was discovered wandering alone at Breezewood Villas apartment complex late on Thursday, May 9.

At around 10:30 p.m., responding to a distress call about the toddler, police were directed by a neighbor who had noticed the child around 9 p.m. The neighbor, realizing the child was unsupervised and inadequately dressed, provided a diaper and alerted authorities.

Upon investigating the apartment indicated by the neighbor, officers found it unoccupied except for a sleeping 10-year-old girl. She initially claimed her mother was at work but later revealed that her mother had gone to a party and was not expected back until morning. Attempts to contact Felix using multiple phone numbers found in the apartment were unsuccessful.

Community members expressed repeated concerns about the children’s welfare, describing previous instances where they intervened to provide care for Felix’s children due to her absence. The officers were able to contact the children’s father, who was unaware of the situation but came promptly to collect his children.

While awaiting his arrival, police discovered the children lacked basic necessities and could not secure their home due to a missing key. The maintenance supervisor at the complex reported previous similar incidents involving the older child, stating he had considered reporting Felix to the Department of Human Services.

The following day, Felix appeared at the Wilbur Francis Command Police Station claiming her children were taken. During a subsequent phone conversation with the police, she admitted to frequently leaving her children alone at home, citing a lack of support and child care assistance.

Felix was arrested on Friday, May 10, when she returned to her residence. Initially held on a $50,000 bail, there is no current information available on the outcome of her advice of rights hearing, which took place on April 13 before Magistrate Ernest Morris, or any adjustments to her bail conditions pending trial.

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.