ST. CROIX — Gerard St. Rose, 24, made his initial appearance Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon in District Court after being charged in a three-count information with possession of a firearm near a school, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute near a school, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced on Friday.
If convicted, St. Rose faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the firearm charges and 10 years on the marijuana charge. He was released pending trial.
United States Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is the result of a joint investigation by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alphonso Andrews, Jr.