Mugshots of Demoi Barrow, left, and Jaquin Phipps. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS — Two men who were charged with a series of offenses stemming from an alleged robbery at gunpoint at the Havensight Mall, will be released pending trial if they are able to pay 10 percent of their $75,000 bond.
On the afternoon of Friday, January 14, police arrested Jaquin Phipps, age 25 and Demoi Barrow, age 22, both of Lovenlund Apartments. The men are charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery, first-degree assault, third-degree assault, grand larceny, simple assault, and brandishing, exhibiting, or using deadly weapons. According to a press release from the V.I.P.D., the arrests followed a December 4th incident at Havensight where a male victim was allegedly robbed of jewelry at gunpoint.
Following their arrests, bail for Phipps and Barrow was set at $75,000 each. After failing to post bail they were remanded to the Bureau of Corrections, pending their advisement hearing.
The two appeared for separate virtual hearings on Monday, moments apart. Attorney Andy Johnson of the office of the public defender argued that $75,000 would present a huge financial burden for Barrow. According to Johnson, the defendant is not a danger to the community or a flight risk, as he has strong ties to the jurisdiction despite having a Florida address. The attorney requested that Barrow be released on the posting of 10 percent of the bail figure.
Judge Paula Norkaitis permitted Barrow’s release on the posting of 10 percent of the $75,000 bail and he is required to surrender both his passport and Florida driver’s license to the court. Barrow has also been placed on a 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily curfew and is strictly prohibited from leaving the territory without permission from the court. He is also required to maintain a distance of at least 20 feet from the alleged victim or any potential witnesses.
In the case of Jaquin Phipps, the court learned that he was born in New Jersey but has no prior contact with the criminal justice system. The judge set the exact conditions as in the case of Barrow and emphasized that the pair are forbidden from having any contact with each other while the matters remain pending.
