Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

USVI man gets 15 years jail for possession of firearm near school

Following a one-day trial in February, a 12-member jury unanimously convicted Shakieme Freeman, 25, of unauthorised possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone and unauthorised possession of a firearm. Photo: VIC
VI CONSORTIUM

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St Thomas, USVI— A St Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI) man was sentenced Wednesday May 9, 2018 to 15 years for being found with an illegal handgun during a police operation more than a year ago, [US] Virgin Islands Department of Justice Public Media Officer Corliss Smithen announced Wednesday.

Following a one-day trial in February, a 12-member jury unanimously convicted Shakieme Freeman, 25, of unauthorised possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone and unauthorised possession of a firearm in connection with a February 16, 2017, incident at the Thomasville Housing Community close to the Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, Ms Smithen said.

Attorney General Claude Earl Walker vowed that the Department of Justice will step up its fight against illegal gun possession in the territory.

“Our battle against illegal guns in the Virgin Islands includes aggressively prosecuting gun cases such as this,” Mr Walker said, following Freeman’s sentencing. “To that end, we intend to hire more prosecutors to take these gun cases to trial and obtain convictions.”

At Freeman’s trial, 10 Virgin Islands police officers testified for the prosecution. Jurors also saw several photographs, including one which showed a gun tucked inside the front waistband of Freeman’s pants.

According to the evidence presented at trial, a team of officers from the Special Operations Bureau and special response team was involved in an initiative titled, “Italian Job,” and was conducting inspections in the area of the Thomasville Housing Community.

As officers arrived in Thomasville, Officer Vernon Carr testified, they noticed Freeman sitting inside a parked car with one of its doors riddled with bullet holes. Officers approached Freeman and asked him if there was anything they should be concerned about and he replied, “No.”

“He turned and in the waistline of Mr Freeman was a black gun in a brown holster,” Officer Carr told jurors. “I yelled, ‘Gun.’

Freeman then took off running, according to Officer Carr. A foot chase ensued until another officer apprehended Freeman and took him into custody. A firearms check revealed that Freeman was not licensed to carry a weapon in the Virgin Islands.

Freeman, who was free on bail pending his sentencing, was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his prison term.

4 Responses to “USVI man gets 15 years jail for possession of firearm near school”

  • See (11/05/2018, 00:27) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Judges with guts . Pay attention BVI
  • guy hill (11/05/2018, 05:13) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good job.
  • BoSang (11/05/2018, 07:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Stupidez. Tek Dat.
  • yrral (09/06/2018, 07:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why do not lots of people from the Virgin Island,take advantage of their legal rights,to live and explore America,lots of people around the world ,would die at chance to live in America,,yes we black in America have problems but we are in a position to solve our,their is a lot of black wealth in America,lots of blacks ,would probably move to Virgin Island,if the island leadership,market to blacks in America


Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.