ST. THOMAS — Nijontea Walker, a 21-year-old St. Thomas resident, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by an additional 30 months of supervised release.
The sentencing, handed down by Chief District Court Judge Robert A. Malloy on September 8, pertains to charges of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and for possessing a firearm within a 1,000-foot radius of a school zone.
According to court documents, the circumstances leading to Walker's arrest trace back to April 8, 2020, in the Hospital Ground neighborhood of St. Thomas. V.I. Police Department officers, conducting patrols in response to recent shootings, attempted to approach a group of individuals. This group, including Walker, fled upon the officers' approach. During the pursuit, Walker was seen carrying a black bag containing an AK-47 firearm with its serial number obliterated. The bag, along with the firearm, was subsequently recovered after being discarded during the chase.
The investigation into the incident involved both the VIPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case saw its prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne.
Notably, the case's proceedings fall under the umbrella of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, a multi-agency initiative aimed at identifying and dismantling top-tier criminal organizations that pose threats to the United States.
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