St. Thomas Man Sentenced To 22 Months In Prison For Firearm Possession

St. Thomas, USVI – District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez on Tuesday sentenced Jace R. Clendinen, 31, of St Thomas, to 22 months in prison and three years supervised release for possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced.

On February 9, 2015, a federal jury convicted Clendinen of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to the evidence presented at trial, on September 1, 2014, officers of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) were in the area of the Smith Bay Ballpark during Labor Day J’Ouvert activities, when they witnessed an ammunition magazine fall from a flatbed truck carrying the band. Officers ordered everyone off the truck to determine who had a firearm. Clendinen jumped from the truck and rapidly walked away from the officers. Officers apprehended Clendinen and found a Fabrique Nationale firearm with an obliterated serial number in his possession.

This case was investigated by the VIPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.