St. Croix Man Charged in District Court with Marijuana Smuggling

St. Thomas, USVI – Alva Nicholas, 56, made his initial appearance on August 23, 2015, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller after being charged in a Complaint with possession of 3.4 kilograms of marijuana with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced. Nicholas has been detained pending further proceedings in this matter.

According to the Complaint filed on August 23, 2015, Nicholas was arrested by Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas after his arrival on August 21, 2015. Agents were screening bags arriving at the airport when they detected an anomaly inside a suitcase bearing Nicholas’s name and flight tag. After further inspection, agents found 3.4 kilograms of marijuana wrapped in plastic inside the suitcase. The bag was repacked and placed on the conveyor belt. Nicholas was taken into custody after he collected the suitcase from the conveyor belt.

Under federal law if convicted of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Nicholas faces a maximum sentence of 5years in prison and fine of not more than $250,000. This case is the result of a joint investigation by the HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith.

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.