Mugsht of Jahthwan Barnes. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. CROIX — A man is now facing burglary and stalking charges after reportedly breaking into the home of his ex-girlfriend and confessing sexual thoughts about her.
According to court documents, police were alerted in the wee hours of Tuesday morning when the 911 Emergency Call Center received a report of a break-in at a Christiansted residence. Officers responding to the call met Jahthwan Barnes on the porch of the home. He was searched and detained while law enforcement made contact with the home's adult resident.
The woman said she was sleeping in her bedroom when she felt something by her feet. She opened her eyes to find Barnes, her ex-boyfriend, sitting on the bed. When she asked how he had gotten inside, he advised her to check the windows. Investigating officers took note of the damaged window screen, bent, taken off the frame, and discarded on the ground outside.
Three of the woman's children were also asleep in the room with her; a 4-year old and twin 9-month old babies. When she awoke to find Barnes also in the bedroom, the woman said she got up and walked with him to the living room. She tried to remain calm, as she suspected her ex was under the influence of some substance. Barnes has been a heavy abuser of drugs and alcohol, the woman told police, and he has been violent with her in the past, leading to their current lack of communication.
The woman walked into her mother's bedroom and instructed her to call 911, she recounted, telling police that this was not the first time her ex had broken in and entered her home without permission. According to the victim, he had done so just days prior on August 30, reportedly entering the home through the front door. Once inside, Barnes allegedly stood over his ex's bed for an unknown length of time, watching her sleep. The woman said she was afraid when she woke up to find him standing there. She called police then, but he left before they arrived. She did, however, file a police report that day.
On Tuesday she told police that Barnes, who had reportedly threatened to rape her in the past, told her that morning that he had seen her naked and now could not stop having sexual thoughts about her. He allegedly claimed to not want to hurt her daughters, however she was still in fear of her safety.
Barnes, who had been detained and searched as soon as the police arrived on Tuesday, was found to be in possession of substances which returned positive results for marijuana and cocaine when field tested. Along with the 3 grams of cocaine and the 7 grams of marijuana found in his possession by officers, he was also carrying rolling papers and a small vial of crushed tobacco.
Asked to provide a statement, Barnes reportedly told officers that he had consumed approximately eight shots of alcohol before coming to his ex-girlfriend's house. Police say he admitted to breaking into the house through the window, knowing that it was wrong. His stated reason for the break-in at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday was because he wanted to see his children but could not call them because his phone was not working. Officers say they smelled the alcohol on Barnes while he was talking.
He was ultimately arrested and charged with second-degree burglary as a crime of domestic violence. He also faces charges of stalking, destruction of property, and simple possession of a controlled substance. Barnes was remanded into custody, with his first court appearance scheduled for Wednesday.
Court records indicate that Barnes did appear before Magistrate Venetia Velazquez on September 3. The judge did issue an order that he be released from detention ahead of trial, however the details of that order, including bail amount and conditions, have not been made public ahead of press time.
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