Virgin Islanders Charged With Importing Firearms In Federal Indictment

ST. THOMAS – Three men and one woman – all Virgin Islanders – have been charged with illegally importing firearms into the territory, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe said today that a federal grand jury had returned a 12-count indictment against 23-year-old Anthony Joseph, 22-year-old Ja’Moi Khadeem Corraspe, 22-year-old D’Mari Jahcoi Heyliger and 20-year-old Calvia Lake on federal and territorial firearms offenses.

Joseph, Corraspe, Heyliger and Lake face up to 27 years in prison on the federal and territorial charges. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.

According to the indictment, the four conspired to unlawfully mail firearms from Florida to St. Thomas, Sharpe said. The arrest of Joseph, Corraspe, Heyliger and Lake resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco (ATF) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) after the USPIS intercepted some of the packages with firearms, he said.

Joseph is charged with three firearms conspiracy counts, one count of unlawful shipment of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers and one count of unlawful mailing of a firearm. Heyliger is charged with two firearms conspiracy counts, two counts of possession of firearms with obliterated serial numbers and unlawful attempt to receive a firearm. Corraspe is charged with three firearms conspiracy counts and Lake is charged with one firearm conspiracy count.

Joseph was arrested Tuesday, April 14 in Atlanta, Georgia and is awaiting transportation to St. Thomas. Corraspe was arrested Tuesday, April 14 in White Plains, New York and also awaiting transportation to St. Thomas. Heyliger was arrested Wednesday, April 15 on St. Thomas and is being held pending a detention hearing and arraignment Friday in U.S. District Court in Charlotte Amalie. Lake was arrested Tuesday April, 14 on St. Thomas and was released on bond. She is also scheduled to be arraigned in District Court Friday.

The case is being investigated by the ATF and USPIS.