St. Croix Man Sentenced To 21 Months In Prison For Possession Of Prison Contraband And Possession Of Firearm While Under Indictment

ST. CROIX — District Court Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis on November 5 sentenced Jahseen Simmonds, 23, to 21 months in prison for possession of prison contraband and possession of a firearm while under indictment, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent-in-Charge Carlos Cases announced today.

Judge Lewis also sentenced the St. Croix resident to serve three years of supervised release, and pay a $300 special assessment and $600 fine. She also ordered Simmonds to obtain his GED and vocational or educational training to obtain a license or certification at least six months before the expiration of his supervised release.

On May 11, 2015, Simmonds pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of prison contraband, and one count of possession of a firearm while under indictment. According to court documents, on or about August 30, 2013, Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections officers conducted a search of a cell occupied solely by Simmonds. The officers seized two shanks on the top bunk.

On April 7, 2014, federal officers conducted a search of a cell occupied by Simmonds and seized a shank that was under his mattress. On January 2, 2015, Virgin Islands Police Department officers observed Simmonds in the Ruby Rouss Housing Complex here with a clear plastic bag that contained a green leafy substance. Simmonds admitted to the police that the bag contained marijuana, and he gave the bag to the police. When asked if he had any other contraband, Simmonds ran from the police. The police officers chased and caught Simmonds. Upon searching him, the officers found a loaded .40 caliber semiautomatic handgun, a loaded magazine and a switchblade knife.

The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.