ST. THOMAS — A traffic stop in downtown Charlotte Amalie early Sunday morning led police to two handguns, ammunition, suspected marijuana and a device designed to convert a firearm to automatic fire. The driver, Shanon Roberts, was arrested on multiple felony firearms and drug charges, all of which were upheld during his initial court appearance Tuesday.
Just before 2 a.m. on October 11, officers patrolling Charlotte Amalie spotted a red Kia Soul traveling east on Kronprindsens Gade. The vehicle resembled one reportedly used as a getaway car in a robbery the previous month, prompting officers to conduct a registration check. When the license plates did not appear in the registration system, police stopped the vehicle.
Roberts was instructed to exit the Kia and informed that officers would conduct a search. Inside, police say they discovered plant material that tested positive for marijuana during a field test, along with a scale.
Officers also recovered several bags that Roberts reportedly acknowledged belonged to him. One contained two additional containers of suspected marijuana. Another held a lockbox containing a handgun, two magazines, loose ammunition of various calibers and a device designed to convert a firearm to automatic fire.
A third bag contained another handgun and a magazine. Forensic technicians subsequently identified the recovered weapons as a Smith & Wesson 9x19mm handgun and a Glock 26 9mm handgun.
According to police, Roberts admitted that he did not possess a license for either firearm and was placed under arrest.
Investigators also determined that the Kia Soul was registered to a car rental company in Bovoni. Insurance documents indicated that coverage on the vehicle had lapsed earlier this year, while the license plates displayed on the Kia were not found in the registration system.
Roberts was subsequently charged with two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, five counts of possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm conversion kit, possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal transfer of a license plate.
Unable to post the initial $100,000 bail, Roberts was remanded into custody pending his advice-of-rights hearing Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Simone VanHolten-Turnbull.
The magistrate found probable cause to uphold all charges against him but modified the bail requirements, allowing Roberts to secure his release by posting $2,500 in cash and signing the remaining balance as an unsecured bond.
Roberts has since been released from detention and must report in person to the probation office weekly, along with complying with other standard conditions of release.
His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30.
