CONVICTED FELON CHARGED WITH UNLAWFUL POSSESSION A FIREARM

St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Jahmar Frederick, 31, of St. Croix, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after having been convicted of felony offenses.

According to court documents, on May 11, 2024, Virgin Islands Police Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop after Frederick was observed operating a Ford F-150 pickup truck with no license plate. Frederick fled from VIPD officers and ultimately lost control of his vehicle and slid off the roadway. Frederick then placed a ski-mask over his face and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended. Officers recovered a loaded Glock Model 22 Gen4 .40 Caliber firearm after taking Frederick into custody. In 2023, Frederick was convicted of obtaining money by false pretenses, and in 2018, he was convicted of forgery, both felonies. If convicted, Frederick faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. A district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.

United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.