Clintford Joseph Jr. age 54, of St. Croix plead guilty Tuesday in federal court on St. Thomas to a charge of providing a false statement to law enforcement investigators with respect to the whereabouts of Paul Girard, Jr. a/k/a “Bogus,” U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon issued a warrant for Girard’s arrest on Oct. 28, 2018 and Joseph “harbored and concealed” Girard between around Oct. 23 and Nov. 4. Joseph also knowingly made a false statement to law enforcement officers on Nov. 5 when he told federal investigators that he was unaware Girard “was staying in the bedroom located above the garage of a residence located at 84 Clairmont, St. Croix,” where Joseph was the caretaker.
Agents later learned that Girard had been staying in a bedroom above the garage at the Clairmont residence for more than a week before that, and that Joseph in fact knew Girard was staying there when he advised the agents to the contrary.
Girard was ultimately arrested at the Clairmont residence on a warrant for a violation of supervised release.
Joseph faces as much as five years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing date has been set for Feb. 11.
The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.
