Saturated patrols on St. Croix nabbed more guns and drugs during weekend night patrols, the U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department announced.
And in a separate incident, parents of a 15-year-old detained for curfew violation were called to police headquarters by Deputy Police Chief Christopher Howell.
At about 9:20 p.m. Friday, police arrested 32-year-old Selwyn Gonzalez of Estate Calquhoun and charged him with unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Police said Gonzalez and another person were seen in a white Toyota Tundra conducting what appeared to be a drug transaction on Company Street in Christiansted. Police continued to observe the suspect and stopped the vehicle in Estate Richmond. Searching the vehicle, the officers reported finding a fully loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and at least one ounce of cocaine.
At about 1 a.m. Saturday police arrested 23-year-old Raphael Guadalupe of Estate Tide Village and charged him with unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Officers said that while on patrol in the La Grande Princess area they saw Guadalupe smoking a marijuana cigarette. When Guadalupe saw the officers he attempted to reach in his waistband. Police ordered Guadalupe to stop and when they patted him down they found a loaded handgun tucked in his waist.
Bail was set for both Gonzalez and Guadalupe at $25,000 each and they were remanded to the custody of the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility pending further court action.
Also, at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, police observed four individuals in a vehicle and stopped them because of a traffic violation. Inside the vehicle were three male adults and 15-year-old male minor. Police took the minor into custody and contacted his parents, who said they had sent their son to a church function and he was not supposed to be in the vehicle with the three adults.
Deputy Chief Howell reminds parents that a 10 p.m. curfew remains in effect for minors younger than 16-years-old and parents can face criminal charges if their minor children are engaged in unlawful behavior after curfew hours.
