Mugshot of Keithley Jones. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS CONSORTIUM
ST. CROIX — Keithley Jones pleaded guilty to first-degree unlawful sexual contact in the V.I. Superior Court. This plea occurred on the morning of his scheduled jury selection, coming at an important moment in the case that stemmed from charges of sexual abuse involving a child under the age of 13. The abuse occurred between 2019 and 2022.
Jones had initially been charged with multiple serious offenses, including aggravated rape in the first-degree, unlawful sexual contact in the first-degree, and child abuse. As part of his guilty plea, Jones now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years. Sentencing will take place after a pre-sentence report is completed by the Office of Probation. In addition to his prison sentence, Jones will be required to register as a sex offender.
In a statement regarding the case, Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea extended his appreciation to everyone involved in bringing the case to this stage. He expressed particular gratitude for the work of prosecutors Jasmine Griffin, Esq. and Robert Pickett, Esq., both from the St. Croix Criminal Division of the V.I. Department of Justice.
Rhea also thanked the Litigation and Victim Services Teams, especially Juliet John-Hope, for their dedicated efforts. Special mention was made of the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau for its thorough investigation into the case.
