St. Croix Man Facing Ten Years, $250,000 Fine For Firearm Possession

Karim Woodley, 39, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon after being charged in a three-count information with possession of a firearm by felon, possession of a firearm near a school and unauthorized firearm possession, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced on Monday.

Judge Cannon ordered the defendant on release pending trial.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine on the felon in possession and possession near school counts. He also faces a ten year sentence on the unauthorized possession charge and a $15,000.00 fine.

According to court records, the charges stem from a Gang initiative conducted by the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Department of Homeland Security (HSI) last December. Agents searched Woodley and discovered an unlicensed firearm on his person.

The case was investigated by the VIPD and HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso Andrews, Jr.

United States Attorney Sharpe emphasized that an information is merely a formal charging document and not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.