Mugshot of Keishawn Daniel Monsanto. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — Two Black males allegedly robbed victims at gunpoint in the parking lot of The Palms at Pelican Cove Tuesday evening. The males were in a V.I. Housing Authority vehicle that was allegedly stolen earlier that evening as well.
Keishawn Daniel Monsanto, 19, appeared before Magistrate Judge Ernest E. Morris, Jr. via teleconference from the Bureau of Corrections on Wednesday for his advisement hearing.
Monsanto was charged with the following: first-degree robbery, carrying a firearm openly or concealed during the commission of a crime of violence, possession of stolen property, third-degree assault, and discharging or aiming a firearm.
Having no prior criminal record or arrests, this was Monsanto’s first appearance before the justice system, according to defense attorney Amelia Joseph of the Office of the Territorial Public Defender.
According to the probable cause fact sheet, a white, four-door FX4 4x4 2021 Ford F-150 was stolen from the parking lot of the "Mr. Cheap Store" in Estate Mars Hill at approximately 6:40 pm on Tuesday. The operator of the truck left the vehicle on and went into the store to purchase items. When the operator of the truck returned and opened the driver's side front door, the suspect entered the truck on the passenger's side front door, jumped in the driver’s seat and drove away. The suspect was described by the operator of the vehicle as a black male who appeared to have short braids.
The fact sheet said that at approximately 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, an officer observed a vehicle matching the description of the stolen truck traveling east on Northside Road in the vicinity of Five Corners. The officer pursued the vehicle. After a chase in the Golden Rock community towards the Harbor View Apartments, three suspects exited the vehicle while the vehicle was still moving. The truck then crashed into the wall of the Sugar Beach Condos, and the officer chased two of the three suspects. One suspect was apprehended, that being Monsanto.
Found in the truck was a backpack containing over $500 in cash, credit cards, ID’s, a passport, and other personal items.
Arrest Reveals Hotel Robbery
While officers were at the scene of the crash, they were made aware of a robbery that took place at The Palms at Pelican Cove moments earlier. Prior to the chase, at about 7:05 p.m., the victim who was robbed in the parking lot of the hotel, and whose gender was not identified in the fact sheet, went to his/her car and observed a white truck in the area where the victim's vehicle was parked. The truck then parked behind the victim's vehicle, blocking it off. Two male suspects robbed the victim at gunpoint and demanded money. The victim gave the suspects $65 in cash in their hands along with a bag containing cash, credit cards, IDs, a passport, and other personal items, according to the fact sheet.
One of the suspects was described by the victim in the fact sheet as a slim, black male wearing short pants, no shirt, with a white t-shirt around his face “Taliban-style” between 5 ft. 4 in. and 5 ft. 8 in. in height. The other suspect was described as being a slim, black male about the same height as the first suspect.
Surveillance footage at The Palms was reviewed by officers. The fact sheet revealed that two suspects exited a white four door Ford F-150. One pointed an object at the victim, presumably a gun. The surveillance also gave further details on suspect two. Officers identified him as wearing a reflector vest, dark colored jean pants and a dark colored shirt over his face. Suspect two was also observed reaching into the victim’s vehicle. Both left The Palms in the truck.
According to Monsanto’s statement to police in the fact sheet, he admitted to being inside of the white 2021 Ford F-150 truck, going through the victim’s backpack and going through the victim’s glove box and center console. He also stated that when he and the other suspects observed the police’s blue lights, they drove through the Golden Rock community in an attempt to evade police.
Although Monsanto was apprehended and charged, the other suspect involved in the robbery remains at large. The identity of the third suspect that exited the vehicle before it crashed is unknown, and their involvement in these crimes is also unknown. At this time, VIC has no further information on who stole the white Ford F-150 that was said to be the property of the VI Housing Authority, as the fact sheet does not reveal that information.
Judge Morris ruled on the following pre-trial release conditions for Monsanto:
- Post a fully secured bond of $75,000
- 24-hour house arrest with electronic monitoring
- Prohibited from leaving St. Croix without the prior written permission of the court
- Surrender passport or not permitted to obtain one
- No direct or indirect contact with any witnesses or victims in this matter
- Prohibited from entering the premises of The Palms at Pelican Cove
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