Police patroling Back Street acted quickly Wednesday to arrest one of two alleged gunmen after a mid-morning robbery at Blue Carib Gems and Rocks Store at Bakery Square.
Territorial Police Chief Jose Garcia said Wednesday night that officers from the bicycle patrol unit apprehended Abrahim Mohommed of Hill Street as he fled from the store. The arrest came after interrogation by investigators.
Mohommed was formally charged with first-degree armed robbery and is jailed in lieu of $75,000. He will have an initial court appearance Thursday when a Territorial Court judge will decide whether the government has enough evidence to proceed with the case.
Garcia also reported the arrest of a 63-year-old Hospital Ground man on unlawful sexual contact charges. Felix Joseph Sr. was arrested Wednesday afternoon in connection with the alleged sexual fondling of a 10-year-old girl.
Joseph was charged with two counts of unlawful sexual contact. He was placed on $75,000 bail.
The victim has told investigators Joseph grabbed her breasts while she slept. She was also awakened on one occasion by Joseph fondling her. The incidents reportedly happened in Hospital Ground. It is not clear whether Joseph and the girl are related.
Garcia also appealed to the community for information on the attack of a 20-year-old Donoe man early Wednesday morning in Red Hook. Garcia said about five men accosted Zebulum Prince, slashing his face and neck with a knife. Prince was taken into surgery at the Roy L. Schneider Hospital for treatment of the knife wounds and released.
He was assaulted near Café Wahoo in the Red Hook area, Garcia said. Some witnesses have told police the attack seemed to have come from nowhere. He quoted one witnesses as saying, "There was no argument or anything."
It's not clear whether Prince or his attackers were returning from the July Fourth celebration on St. John early Wednesday morning when the attack occurred. It was classified by police as a first-degree assault.
Garcia urged anyone with information to contact police investigators at 774-4050 or the emergency number 911.
