Mugshot of Marvin Stancliffe. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — Officers recently arrested Marvin Stancliffe following the issuance of a warrant on November 25, 2024 on a slew of gun and drug charges stemming from a traffic stop more than two years earlier.
On May 3, 2022, officers conducting traffic enforcement on Kronprindsens Gade stopped a vehicle that had no license plate on the front bumper, and only one working headlight. The driver and passenger – Stancliffe – were asked to exit the vehicle due to the smell of marijuana.
A search of the car revealed a gun on the floor of the front passenger side. When the firearm was discovered, Stancliffe reportedly wriggled out of the detaining officer's grasp and fled the scene, slipping through a space in the fence between the Department of Labor and Benji Car Wash. A deployed taser did not stop the fleeing man.
Pursuing officers reportedly saw Stancliffe toss an object near the gate at the back of Windward Passage before surrendering himself to police, who promptly handcuffed him before turning to search for the object Stancliffe had thrown.
Eventually, they reportedly located a holster and handgun near the fence. The weapon was determined to be a Glock 17, loaded with a full magazine of 9mm rounds, with one round in the chamber. The firearm that had been discovered in the car reportedly turned out to be a Premier PF-15 multi-caliber rifle, also fully loaded with ammunition.
A red and black backpack found next to the rifle during the search reportedly contained two additional Glock magazines, one loaded with 17 9mm rounds, and the other 15. Six .233 rifle ammunition rounds were also found in the backpack's front zippered compartment. The bag also reportedly contained 38 small baggies with a white powdery substance inside, which returned a positive result for cocaine following a field test, and an undisclosed quantity of amphetamine pills.
Not only was it determined that Stancliffe did not have a firearm license, his previous felony convictions rendered him ineligible to possess a firearm in the territory.
Swabs from the weapons and magazines were submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigations for testing. Results indicated a very strong likelihood that it was Stancliffe's DNA on the firearms.
Thus, following a warrant issued last week, Stancliffe was arrested on Tuesday and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, two counts of possession of a unlicensed firearm within 1000 feet of a school, possession of a machine gun, two counts of possession of ammunition, possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a school, possession of amphetamines, escape from the custody of an officer, obstruction of justice, and first degree reckless endangerment.
A statement from the VIPD indicates that this incident is still under investigation, and invites members of the public with any information to contact authorities.
Stancliffe's advice of rights hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, however as of press time no details of the outcome, including pre-trial release conditions, have been made available to the public.
