St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that
Rammer Guerrero Morales, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the District Court and entered a guilty plea to the charges of Possession and Discharge of Firearms During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence (18 U.S.C. § 924) and Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employees (18 U.S.C. § 111).
He faces up to life in federal prison. The sentencing date will be set by the Court.
According to Court documents, on September 25, 2019, members of Customs and Border
Protection (“CBP”) Air and Marine Operations (“AMO”) conducted a maritime interdiction
operation on the north coast of St. John, USVI, near Haulover Bay. This area is a known smuggling location where traffickers offload large shipments of narcotics and U.S. Currency.
This location contains a trail that leads from the main road down to the beach of Haulover Bay. At approximately 7:30 p.m. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) Air and Marine
Interdiction Agents observed two individuals, who were armed on a trail that leads down to the beach at Haulover Bay. The Agents identified themselves as “police”. Immediately thereafter, the individuals fired at the Agents. One CBP Air and Marine Interdiction Agent were wounded by the rounds fired by the individuals. Defendant Guerrero Morales was wounded by shots fired in self-defense by CBP Air and Marine Agents. CBP Air and Marine Agents recovered two firearms at the scene, described as an AR-15 style .223 caliber rifle and a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Albino and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
