Mugshot of Ke’Jah Andreas. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX- Bail has been set in the amount of $50,000 for a man who appeared in court on weapons and domestic violence-related charges.
Ke’Jah Andreas, 29, appeared before Judge Ernest Morris Jr. on Monday where he was advised of charges against him in two matters. In the first matter, Andreas is charged with carrying a firearm openly or concealed, and possession of ammunition.
His arrest stems from the execution of a search warrant by members of the VIPD’s Criminal Investigation Bureau and Special Operations Bureau, in an operation dubbed “It’s Over”. The warrant was executed on November 20th and issued on November 16th.
The search led to the discovery of a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol with a magazine and an obliterated serial number. Officers also recovered a body armor ballistic vest and several rounds of ammunition including a 10 round magazine containing multiple .40 caliber rounds. According to the probable cause fact sheet, when questioned as to who the weapon belonged to, Andreas claimed ownership.
A check of the VIPD’s Firearms Bureau later revealed that there was no record of a firearm or ammunition license issued to Andreas as of November 2021. He was subsequently arrested and charged and bail was set at $50,000. Unable to post the amount, Andreas was remanded to the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility pending his advisement hearing.
At Monday’s advisement hearing, Andreas was also advised of the charges against him in a second matter, which also includes a charge for carrying a firearm. The other charges in that case — burglary, third-degree assault, disturbance of the peace and simple assault and battery — are all categorized as crimes of domestic violence. Details of the second matter were not available via court records as of publication time on Tuesday.
While Andreas’s Public Defender Katherine Slade requested that the defendant’s hearing be moved to Wednesday so the court could be supplied with relevant information, the judge set conditions for his release in the meantime.
As of Monday, his bail was set at $50,000 fully secured, which the judge indicated is the amount for both matters. Andreas will be released into the custody of a vetted and approved third-party and will be subject to 24-hour house arrest with the use of an electronic monitor. He is also required to maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from the alleged victim in the second matter.
If convicted of carrying an illegal firearm, Andreas faces a minimum fine of $10,000 and a minimum prison sentence of 10 years. Meanwhile, he faces a maximum of 7 years in prison, a maximum fine of $10,000 or both, if found guilty of possession of ammunition.
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