From left to right, mugshots of Codero Lake and Aron Gumbs. By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. THOMAS —Two men are facing drug charges after police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle they were traveling in.
During traffic enforcement on March 28, officers of the Special Investigations Bureau observed a blue Nissan Altima without a front license plate. They stopped the vehicle to advise the driver of the infraction as well as to ask for the appropriate documents. They also asked both the driver Aron Gumbs and his passenger Codero Lake if there were any firearms or contraband inside the vehicle.
According to documents before the court, Lake admitted to having "just a little joint." When asked where it was, he pointed to, then reached towards a backpack behind the front passenger seat. Police cautioned him against doing so, and then ordered both men out of the car, telling them that it would be searched for additional illicit items.
The men then reportedly told officers that the backpack belonged to neither of them. A search of the item yielded much more than "a little joint" – officers found a glass jar with almost 5 ounces of marijuana packaged into numerous small bags. Police also seized a bottle of pills, which turned out to be methamphetamine.
Gumbs and Lake were arrested and charged with constructive possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. When police investigations revealed that Lake was on probation following a previous arrest, a charge of criminal contempt of court was added to his matter.
At their advice of rights hearings on Wednesday, Gumbs was granted bail in the form of a $9000 unsecured bond, and Lake was bonded out after payment of $1000 in cash.
