Crime

Man Pleads Guilty to Being Chief Enforcer of Criminal Enterprise; Woman Pleads Guilty to Being Facilitator

ST. CROIX — Robert Brown, age 30, and Etherneal Simon, age 49, both of St. Croix, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges for their respective roles as members of the Paul Girard Criminal Enterprise (“the Enterprise”), United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Brown, who entered his guilty plea on December 20, 2019, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in aid of racketeering activity; Simon, who entered her guilty plea today, pled guilty to RICO conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Chief Justice of the USVI District Court, Curtis V. Gomez, accepted both guilty pleas. In his plea agreement, Brown admitted to serving as a chief enforcer for the Enterprise. As a chief enforcer, Brown admitted that he committed acts of violence on behalf of the Enterprise in order to: 1) enrich, preserve, expand, and protect the power, territory, and prestige of the Enterprise; 2) keep potential victims and rival gang members in fear of the Enterprise and its associates; 3) confront...