St. Croix Man Sentenced To 24 Months For Possession of Firearm By Drug User

ST. CROIX — District Court Judge Raymond L. Finch, on Thursday sentenced Dwayne Wesselhoft, 29, to 24 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a drug user, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced. Judge Finch also sentenced Mr. Wesselhoft to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a fine of $1,000 plus a special assessment of $100.

According to court records, on October 1, 2015, agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a consent search at Mr. Wesselhoft’s residence located on St. Croix. The search uncovered a 9mm Luger pistol in the master bedroom which Mr. Wesselhoft admitted was his. Agents also found a container with marijuana. Mr. Wesselhoft admitted to smoking two marijuana “joints” per day for the past five to six years.

The case was investigated by the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso Andrews, Jr.

Judge Finch also sentenced Gamalier Rohlsen-Arizmendi, 24, of Puerto Rico, to 63 months in prison for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on Thursday, according to Mr. Sharpe. Judge Mr. Rohlsen-Arizmendi was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a special assessment of $100.

Mr. Rohlsen-Arizmendi had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on July 27, 2016. On November 12, 2015, he along with other coconspirator arrived on St. Croix to retrieve a load of cocaine at sea. Law enforcement agents observed Mr. Rohlsen-Arizmendi leave St. Croix by boat on November 13, 2015. At about 1:30 a.m. the next day, law enforcement tracked the same boat returning to St. Croix to Knight’s Bay Beach. Upon arriving there, they located Mr. Rohlsen-Arizmendi with two of his co-conspirators in close proximity to four suitcases which contained 87 kilograms of cocaine. All three men were charged as part of a large drug conspiracy involving 15 defendants. Seven of them have entered guilty pleas. The others are scheduled for trial on April 25, 2017.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso G. Andrews, Jr.