Troy Lance Patterson age 52, of St. Croix, pled guilty Tuesday in federal court to a firearms charge related to possible marijuana cultivation, according to U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert of the District of the Virgin Islands.
According to Shappert, Patterson pled guilty to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense and illegal use of utility.
According to court documents, aerial surveillance of Patterson’s residence in Anna’s Hope, Christiansted, revealed that it was a potential marijuana cultivation site. On Sept. 18, 2019, federal agents executed a federal search warrant at the residence and found Patterson in possession of an unlicensed, loaded, and operable .38 special revolver, which the agents confiscated.
During the subsequent search of Patterson’s residence, agents located more than 80 rounds of ammunition, multiple scales, plastic baggies, approximately 168 gross grams of cocaine hydrochloride, approximately 117 grams of marijuana, and $12,473 in U.S. currency. Federal agents also located a multi-room indoor marijuana grow operation containing marijuana plants, for which electricity was supplied by way of an unauthorized Water and Power Authority utility connection, violations of federal and Virgin Islands law.
Patterson faces a minimum of five years imprisonment for the carrying of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and forfeiture of the currency, firearm and ammunition. He also faces up to a year of imprisonment on the illegal use of utility charge, restitution to WAPA, and a fine of up to $3,000. A sentencing date has been set for Feb. 4.
