Mugshot of Jose Angel Garcia. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A Superior Court judge has ordered release conditions of Jose Angel Garcia — a St. Croix man wanted in the state of Florida for unlawful acts of sexually transmitted diseases and sexual acts against a minor — because of medical reasons, pending his extradition.
Garcia, 36, appeared before Judge Ernest Morris Jr. Friday for his advisement hearing on a ‘fugitives from justice; duty of governor’ charge.
According to the V.I. Department of Justice, Garcia had an outstanding arrest warrant in Marion County, Florida for engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a minor and unlawful acts of sexually transmitted diseases. The D.O.J. said the Florida arrest warrant has been pending since September 26, 2017.
Garcia was arrested on St. Croix at approximately 8:15 a.m. Thursday, the Department of Justice said. A few minutes earlier, according to the sworn testimony of Agent Gisselle Quinones of the D.O.J., officers went to his residence and did not find him there, suspecting he was hiding in the bushes after possibly being tipped off.
Approximately two minutes after officers left a court document with a nearby family member and departed from the residence, Garcia called Agent Quinones to return, and he was taken into custody without incident, Agent Quinones said.
Release conditions were set by Judge Morris for medical reasons.
“The court has some concerns about the defendant receiving adequate medical care at the Golden Grove Correctional Facility, and as such, I am going to set what the court believes are reasonable conditions for his release pending the execution of the governor’s warrant where he will then be taken into custody and extradited," Judge Morris said. "In fact, he can be extradited sooner since he has agreed to execute a waiver of extradition.”
According to Title 5 V.I.C. Subsection 3826, a written waiver of extradition waives the need for the governor’s warrant, as Garcia agreed to voluntarily return to Florida to face his charges.
Release conditions set by Judge Morris were as follows:
- Bail was set at $100,000 (with the allowance to post $1,000 cash; signed unsecured bond by Garcia and third-party custodian for remainder)
- Reside with a third-party custodian
- 24-hour house arrest with electronic monitoring
- Execute valid waiver of extradition
- Surrender passport
Attorney Leslie Davis requested that Garcia be put on curfew, since the suspect said he cannot afford ankle monitoring and needs to work. The judge denied the request and said, “He doesn’t work anymore.”
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