From left to right, mugshot of Jahlisha Caul, Jazmin Linares, and Jahmisha Bethelmie. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — Three women were arrested and charged in connection with an alleged robbery and assault that occurred on Nov. 12, 2021.
Jazmin Linares, Jahmisha Bethelmie and Jahlisha Caul were arrested on Thursday on charges of aggravated assault, while Linares was also arrested on charges of second-degree robbery, grand larceny and first-degree assault.
Their arrest follows the November 2021 report of a robbery at the V.I.P. Coco Bar and Restaurant in Christiansted. Police on Sept. 9, 2022 obtained the arrest warrant from a magistrate judge to pursue the arrest.
According to documents before the court, the owner of the business told police that she was assaulted by four female individuals who entered her establishment without wearing facial coverings on Nov. 12, 2021. The four were allegedly making a lot of noise, prompting the business owner to ask the three women to wear their masks. They started calling her names, struck her face with a beer bottle and began beating on her up, according to the probable cause fact sheet.
In addition to the assault, one of the suspects is the mother of another suspect, who took the victim’s diamond stud earrings valued at $300 and her 14 karat gold necklace valued at $2,000, court documents allege.
The suspects were later identified as Linares, Bethelmie and Caul and were seen running off when police approached the V.I.P. Coco Bar and Restaurant.
When police made contact with the victim, there was swelling to her right cheek, abrasions to her back, damage to her hair and a laceration to her inner lip. The victim complained of pain to her left shoulder, neck and face.
In court on Friday, a judge ruled that both Bethelmie and Caul would be allowed to post an unsecured bond of $1,000 to secure their release. Linares, however, would only be released upon posting of $2,500 cash and the remainder of the $75,000 bail requirement as an unsecured bond.
They are all to maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 ft away from the victim and are barred from having unlawful contact with her or any witnesses or co-defendants in this matter.
Additionally, Linares was ordered to surrender her passport and is barred from leaving St. Croix without the court’s written authorization. She must also report to the Office of Probation every Tuesday.
Correction: Oct. 7, 2022 at 5:22 p.m.
A previous version of this story, because of a text error, stated that the incident occurred in Nov. 2022. The correct date is Nov. 12, 2021. We've updated the story to reflect the correct information.
