Gun-related charges dismissed against 2 USVI men
BVI News Staff - Tuesday, July 24th, 2012 at 9:21 AM
The gun and ammunition charges were dismissed against two of the three USVI men who were before the court on July 23 to answer a myriad of charges that included illegal entry.
Camille King, the captain of the vessel, pleaded guilty to 13 charges that included three counts of unlawful possession of explosives; landing in the Territory without leave from an immigration officer; two counts of unlawful possession of an unlicensed firearm; two counts of importation of a firearm; three counts of importation of explosives; and unlawful importation of goods at a place other than a customs port.
The charges of importation of explosives and unlawful importation of goods at a place other than a customs port was not put to the co-defendants, Kimo Inniss, and Germaine Bell, who denied all of the gun-related charges, and only pleaded guilty to the illegal entry charge.
The issue stems from the fact that Glock 26 and Smith Wesson firearms, as well as various ammunition were discovered in the vessel, the defendants sailed to the BVI and docked at an unofficial port.
In outlining the facts, Senior Crown Counsel Christlyn Benjamin told the court that on Thursday, July 19, members of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force were on mobile patrol duty when they received a report of three male persons removing items from a white boat in Frenchman’s Cay.
Officers arrived and saw three persons who later walked towards a vehicle that was parked close-by. The officers also noted that there were three vessels docked.
The men were approached by officers and were asked for identifications which revealed that they were all US citizens residing in the USVI.
King informed the officers that he was the captain of one of the vessels and that the BVI was not their intended destination. He explained that he and the other defendants were sailing around St. John when it was observed that they needed fuel. He said that he made the decision to come to the BVI because it was closer. King explained that one of the other defendants knew someone on the island and made contact for them to be able to go and get the fuel they needed.
After taking Bell and Inniss into custody, the vessel was searched and on it two loaded firearm magazines were found in a hatch in the cabin’s floor. Forensics were called in and during another search firearms were discovered on a ledge in the vessel.
In court, King told the magistrate that he was “being a man” about the situation and pleading guilty because as captain the vessel and all of its contents are his responsibility.
“I honestly cannot tell you how they got there…but I just want to get over this thing. I am being a man about this situation. I am the captain and I am responsible for whatever is on the boat, including these men safety…. The boat needed fuel and I made a decision to come here because it was closer and Kimo say he knows somebody we can call to get the fuel. I was coming out with a fuel bottle when the police came and told us we illegal…. I did not come here to cause any tension like what people are thinking… We needed fuel and we stopped here…,” the defendant said.
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7 Comments
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no snitchin in the game das all
I cant beleve this. What ah story. If I was the captain of a boat the first thing I wuld check is my fuel gauge. How far wuld I be going that I can run out of gas. St. Thomas is 15 minutes away fron St. John and 20 – 30 minutes away from Tortola via speed boat, so help me out here. I culd imagine what wulve took place if they werent caught. I hope they learn a lesson and live right when they get out. I hope they can see that at the end of the day whatever they had in mind to do was not worth it because every action will have a reaction.
CENCE from noncence we have somush shootin in theBVI no one been charge this can be alead so thay need to call in the FBI to lookin to CAPT KING RECORD PLEASE DO
The longers rope have it end and i hope this is your’s MR KING Ido hope you have gas to go to barsom gout rudeboy bringin guns into my homeland don;t care three men two guns and nooo backup ihope the judge don;t sorry for that old HOOOOOUGEEEEE AS NORTHSOUND PEOPLE DO SAY IT GOODBYE CAPT KING
you sailing around st. john and you going to come to the BVI to get fuel? The BVI’s fuel prices are sky high. Why didnt he go to St. John to get the fuel. This does not make any sense to me. He knows exactly what he came here to do.
what about the boat?where it is?
The captain is being a man but cannot tell exactly how the firearms got there.
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