St. Thomas Man Arrested for Possession of Crack Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute and Robbery

St. Thomas, USVI – Ricardo Belgara, 49, of St. Thomas was arrested on an indictment charging him with two counts of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and territorial charges of robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm during the commission of a robbery, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Belgara made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller on Tuesday and was detained pending further proceedings.

According to the indictment, between January and February 2014, Belgara sold crack cocaine to an individual on two separate occasions. The rock-like substances purchased from Belgara field-tested positive for crack cocaine on each occasion. Additionally, Belgara aided and abetted the robbery of the individual using a firearm.

If convicted of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine, Belgara faces a statutory term of imprisonment up to twenty years and a $250,000 fine. If convicted on the territorial charge of robbery, Belgara faces up to twenty years in prison and if convicted of using a firearm during the commission of the robbery, he faces a mandatory sentence of twenty years but not more than twenty-five years.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated this case and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.

United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.