Brewers Bay Beach, St. Thomas USVI (the VIPD has not provided the mugshot of Jahlek Richardson).
ST. THOMAS — One man is facing felony gun charges after officers conducting a pat-down find a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Last Monday afternoon, officers conducting inspections at John Brewers Beach came upon a group of men smoking. During that time, one of the men began walking away, reportedly ignoring the initial instructions from officers to stop.
According to court documents, when the man finally complied, police informed him that they would conduct a pat down for officer safety. While doing so, one of the officers felt what they thought was a firearm in the man’s backpack. The man, identified as Jahlek Richardson, told police that there were drinks in the bag, however further inspection yielded a black Intratech AB-10 9 mm firearm in the backpack. The serial number of the weapon had been obliterated, and the gun was loaded with 9 rounds in the magazine, and one in the chamber.
Richardson did not answer officers’ queries about whether the gun was licensed, and thus he was arrested and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of an unlicensed firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of an unlicensed firearm within 1000 feet of a school as the beach in proximity of the University of the Virgin Islands, and possession of ammunition.
Unable to pay the $50,000 bail, Richardson was remanded into custody to await his first court appearance.
In court last Wednesday, Magistrate Paula Norkaitis did issue a pre-trial release order for Richardson, the details of which were not made public at time of publication. His next court appearance is scheduled for February 2.
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