0 Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
ST. CROIX — St. Croix resident Roniel Allembert, age 22, entered a guilty plea in the U.S. Federal Court Tuesday, according to U.S. Attorney for the V.I., Delia L. Smith, who revealed that Allembert faced charges for possession of a firearm in a school zone.
Allembert is due to appear in court once more for sentencing on October 13, 2023. If convicted, he could serve up to a maximum of five years in prison. The final determination of the sentence will be made by a federal district court judge. The judge will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors to make the final decision.
According to court documentation, the case started on September 28, 2021, when V.I. Police Department officers discovered a fully loaded Taurus 9mm handgun in a ditch at #21 Anna’s Hope. This location is within close proximity, approximately 290 feet, from the Church of God Holiness Academy.
Allembert was sighted at the same location and was observed leaving the scene at a high rate of speed as VIPD units approached. Later, he returned to the site, driving at a slower pace and scanning the area where the handgun was later found. Forensic evidence linked Allembert to the weapon when his DNA was discovered on the firearm. He was reportedly unlicensed to carry the firearm.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the VIPD, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston is handling the prosecution of the case.
The investigation is part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, a nationwide effort that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders from federal, state, local and tribal levels. This comprehensive initiative aims to identify and address the most pressing violent crime issues within communities.
For more information about the Department of Justice's Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit their website at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
