Trio held for guns & drugs appears to have ‘strong underworld connections’- Court
The Magistrate’s remarks were made while stating reasons why she was not granting bail to Stoutt and Dominican Republic natives and work permit holders Jordy Vargas and Dr Yamell Medina.
She said: “I personally can devise no bail conditions that would secure Mr Stoutt at his trial. The taking of any travel document, driver’s license, social security card, birth paper, all would be futile as such, the weight of granting bail comes against him today.”
As for the Dominican Republic natives, she said: “The court made the same considerations about the seriousness of the offences, the penalty likely upon conviction and the evidence in support. Additionally and separate to those issues, we have the issue of ties to the jurisdiction.”
She explained that despite their attorney, Reynela Rawlins, arguing that they have strong ties to the Territory in that they are now residents here, she was of a different view.
Furthermore, “They are also from a jurisdiction where, should they be released on bail and be able to make their way there, their country of origin won’t extradite them back,” Senior Magistrate Richards stated.
Element of trust
“They were the roommates of Mr Stoutt, and we have already discussed what appears to be strong underworld connections. More than a million dollars’ worth of drugs were found in a home that they were occupying, and similarly, in excess of $2,000 in cash is found in the home at Hannah’s which they occupied,” the Magistrate noted.
She said, no doubt, the Crown will “run this case as one of joint enterprise, and Mr Stoutt allegedly left his roommates with a substantial amount of valuable drugs in the home and money. That would infer quite a substantial trust among the parties.”
Magistrate Richards also pointed out that their place of birth, the Dominican Republic, was the final place that Stoutt visited.
Charges
Mr Korrey Stoutt, 30, of Fort Hill, Mr Jordy Vargas, 29, and Ms Yamell Medina-Acosta, 33, who share an apartment at Hannah’s Estate, Tortola, were jointly charged with Possession of a Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Controlled Drug and Possession of a Prohibited Firearm.
They all pleaded not guilty to the offences reportedly committed on May 23, 2020.
Additionally, Mr Stoutt pleaded guilty to Breach of Curfew, not guilty to Possession of Proceeds of Criminal Conduct, namely $2,768, and not guilty to Illegal Entry.
The Crown is contending that Mr Stoutt landed in the Territory sometime between May 7 and May 14, 2020, without the leave of an immigration officer.
He had allegedly travelled to the Dominican Republic as well as Puerto Rico before returning to the Virgin Islands, according to the Crown.
Mr Stoutt is a Belonger and US Citizen who imports motor scooters and vehicles and also has a car rental business. He reportedly owns a house on Fort Hill.
Mr Vargas is a cellphone technician who has been in the Virgin Islands for the past four years and hails from the Dominican Republic.
Ms Medina-Acosta, a certified Doctor, working as a Doctor’s Assistant in the Virgin Islands, is also from the Dominican Republic but has been in the Virgin Islands for the past five months.
Vargas and Acosta are a couple.
See related article below:
‘Weapons of war’ found in apartment of businessman, doctor & phone technician
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