Mugshot of Darren Williams. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — The son of a law enforcement official has been arrested on rape charges.
Darren Williams is charged with second-degree aggravated rape, second-degree rape, and second-degree unlawful sexual contact. He was arrested by warrant following investigations into a January 2022 report from an individual who told police they had reason to believe that Williams was engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor. Court documents reveal that the individual claimed to witness displays of intimacy such as kissing between Williams and the girl on several occasions. According to the documents, the individual stated that Williams was approximately 26 years old and that the girl was about 15 or 16. Subsequent investigations reportedly revealed that Williams was born in 1997 and the alleged victim was born in 2005. Presently, the legal age of consent in the Virgin Islands is 18.
According to court documents, the individual further stated that the young girl lived at Williams's home at one point and identified him as her boyfriend. The girl was reportedly taken into protective custody at the Juvenile Bureau on March 17th. According to documents accompanying Williams's arrest warrant, during this time she admitted to a detective that she was sexually involved with Williams. She also divulged that she met the accused in 2019 right after she turned 15 and that she did research and determined that at age 16 she could give him consent to have sex with her. She reportedly indicated that presently Williams is 8 years older than her.
Williams appeared for a bail hearing on Friday where Assistant V.I. Attorney General Brenda Scales expressed that while he was considered a danger to the victim, he was not considered a danger to the community at large. Scales explained that the defendant is not charged with "forcible rape" but rather what was previously known as statutory rape. Williams’s parent, a law enforcement official, was presented to the court as his intended third-party custodian. Noting that she was familiar with the proposed custodian, Scales expressed confidence in their ability to effectively carry out the required duties. She recommended that Williams be released on an unsecured bond and placed on house arrest to ensure the victim’s safety.
Bail was eventually set in the form of a $50,000 unsecured bond. Williams will be subject to a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily curfew, except for one day a week where he does not work. On that day he is required to remain on 24-hour house arrest. The judge indicated that if the defendant becomes unemployed during the pendency of this matter, he will be placed on full house arrest as the curfew is only intended to allow him to report to work. Williams is strictly prohibited from having any form of contact with the alleged victim and must maintain a distance of at least 50 feet from her at all times. If he violates these conditions, he may have to remain behind bars while he awaits trial.
