ST. THOMAS — Deangelia D. Quintana, 30, made her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller after being charged in a complaint with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Virgin Islands Area Port Director Louis Harrigan announced.
Ms. Quintana was detained pending preliminary and detention hearings set for Friday, March 4, 2016.
According to the complaint, on Wednesday March 2, 2016, Ms. Quintana arrived at the Cyril E. King Airport, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on board a Delta flight from Atlanta. CBP officers approached Quintana as she removed two bags from the carousel at the baggage claim area. Ms. Quintana was taken to secondary inspection where CBP officers searched her bags and discovered a large bundle of plastic in each bag. Within the plastic, CBP discovered approximately 23 kilos of what was field tested to be marijuana. When questioned, Ms. Quintana admitted that the bags were hers.
“CBP officers remain vigilant to detect and seize illegal contraband being illegally brought into our islands,” said Port Director Harrigan.
Under federal law if convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, Quintana faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. This case is being investigated by CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
United States Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Tags: arrest, Deangelia D. Quintana, marijuana, smuggle, us virgin islands
Share On Facebook
Tweet It
