Mugshot of Sylvester Christopher. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A Sion Farm man arrested in June for unauthorized possession of a firearm was rearrested on the same charge Saturday night after being found in possession of another unlicensed firearm.
According to V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima, on Saturday at approximately 8:11 p.m., police arrested Sylvester Christopher, age 21 of Sion Farm, and charged him with unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession or sale of ammunition.
On June 4 at around 2:30 p.m., Christopher was arrested and charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm and ammunition during a traffic stop. Like the Saturday arrest, Christopher's bail was set at $50,000.
According to the V.I.P.D. news release, officers assigned to the Virgin Islands Crime Initiative conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the vicinity of Hannah’s Rest Plaza Saturday. During the traffic stop, the passenger in the vehicle, identified as Christopher, was found with a loaded firearm on his person. After verifying that Christopher did not have a license to carry a firearm, he was placed under arrest, the V.I.P.D. said.
According to VI law, "Whoever, unless otherwise authorized by law, has, possesses, bears, transports or carries either actually or constructively, openly or concealed any firearm, as defined in Title 23, section 451 (f) of VI code, loaded or unloaded, may be arrested without a warrant, and shall be sentenced to imprisonment of not less than ten yers and shall be fined no less than $10,000 nor more than $15,000, or both the fine and imprisonment."
When an individual is arrested and the V.I.P.D. presents its case, the rest is up to the courts. Usually split sentences are given for such arrests, which sees an individual being sentenced to 6 months in prison while serving the remaining time on probation. In other instances, prosecutors will seek to have the accused plea to ammunition charge, which yields probation or up to 7 years imprisonment. In Christopher's situation, he was most likely out on bail, as it's highly unlikely that his case was already heard.
For Christopher's latest arrest, bail was set at $50,000, which he was unable to post. He was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections pending his advisement hearing.
St. Croix District Police Chief Sidney Elskoe commended the officers of the Virgin Islands Crime Initiative for taking another firearm off the streets. “We will continue to find and confiscate these illegal guns, and arrest those who possess them,” Chief Elskoe said.
Advertisements
