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ST. THOMAS — Arnold Malone, 44, of St. Thomas on Monday pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in U.S. District Court, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert has announced.
According to court documents, on August 22, 2019, Virgin Islands Police Department officers responded to a call that an individual had discharged a firearm on St. Thomas.
When the officers arrived, they were unable to locate the man. Moments later, Central Dispatch advised the officers that the man had returned and discharged his firearm inside of a business establishment after he was denied entry by the manager. The officers traveled to the business establishment, and the manager advised them that the man was in the alley.
Officers made contact with the man, who was later identified as the defendant, Arnold Malone, and asked to speak with him in reference to the shooting. Officers asked the defendant if he had a license to possess a firearm in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The defendant responded that he did not. Officers conducted a pat down of the defendant and discovered a Lallamar Minimax X45 .45 caliber, with an extended magazine containing nine (9) rounds.
Prior to August 22, 2019, the defendant had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not authorized to carry a firearm under federal law.
Malone faces a sentence of up to ten years’ imprisonment, a three-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. However, should the court determine that the defendant is an armed career criminal then the defendant will be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan A. Albino.
