ST. THOMAS — A man who was deported to Tortola in May and barred from entering the United States for five years is facing federal charges after agents identified him in Havensight last Friday and later alleged that a seized cellphone contained material involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
Bruce Wheatley was identified by federal agents around 10 p.m. that evening, according to documents filed in District Court. The agents were reportedly aware of his immigration status because he had recently been deported.
After spotting him, agents detained Wheatley for questioning. According to court documents, he acknowledged the five-year ban and admitted traveling to St. John the previous Monday despite knowing he was not allowed to enter the United States.
While in custody, Wheatley reportedly asked to use the cellphone that agents had seized. Law enforcement allowed him supervised access to the device. As Wheatley reviewed messages on WhatsApp, agents said they noticed what appeared to be sexually explicit videos.
Arrest documents state that Wheatley described the content as “an exposed video” and played it again for agents, telling them they were watching “someone getting exposed.”
The video reportedly depicted the sexual assault of a minor boy by an adult woman.
Wheatley was charged with being in the United States after having previously been deported and with possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
He appeared Monday before United States Magistrate Alan Teague, who found probable cause to uphold the charges and appointed a federal public defender to represent him.
Defense counsel agreed to the prosecution’s request that Wheatley be held in detention pending further hearings.
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