A St. Croix man caught with cannabis at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and a homeless St. Thomas man suspected of burglary both allegedly told police they committed the crimes out of necessity, according to court records posted Wednesday. They needed the money.
Cody, a drug-sniffing dog, alerted federal and local law enforcement officials at St. Croix’s airport Tuesday afternoon that Sorhaindo Vincent’s baggage may contain illicit drugs. Inside, officials allegedly found a cannabis plant, some cannabis seeds, and nearly three pounds of marijuana separated into several plastic bags — all wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, according to court records.
Vincent, who attended Central High School in the 1980s, allegedly waived his right to remain silent and told police he had purchased the cannabis in Connecticut for $450 and hoped to sell it in St. Croix, Virgin Islands Police Officer Chenell Hendricks said in documents filed with the Superior Court.
“Mr. Vincent stated that he did not have money and needed money, so he bought the marijuana to sell. He stated that he bought the marijuana off the street in Connecticut on a basketball court. He, Mr. Vincent, stated that this is the first time he did that and that he does not possess a marijuana license,” Hendricks told the court.
Vincent was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Despite pleading poverty to police, Vincent paid $7,500 in bail to go free in advance of an advice of rights hearing Wednesday morning.
On St. Thomas, police found Troy Johnson, 61, attempting to roast breadfruit over an open fire in Smith Bay Tuesday. He matched the description of a man who had slipped into condos at nearby Pineapple Village and hotel rooms at Margaritaville Vacation Club, according to court records
A hotel guest said she’d heard strange noises in her room late Saturday night and a condo resident said he was missing more than $700 and credit cards, according to court records
Doorbell cameras had caught the man who looked like Johnson — a barefoot Black male with thin, shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing black trousers and a black shirt with an undetermined emblem on the shirt’s sleeve — tiptoeing around security cameras before dawn Sunday, according to court records.
During police questioning, Johnson allegedly told officers he was homeless and regularly entered empty hotel rooms to use the bathroom and occasionally take things.
“Mr. Johnson expressed that he was hungry and sought to obtain money for food. Mr. Johnson indicated that he has lost everything, is currently unemployed, and is experiencing significant emotional distress,” Police Detective Yordona LoBlack said in court documents. “He admitted that he used the cash to purchase crack cocaine and shared the remainder of the money with his friends.”
Police said they found three tiny crack cocaine rocks on Johnson, who allegedly told police he’d lost the credit cards on a safari ride.
Johnson was charged with second-degree burglary, unlawful entry, grand larceny, and credit card theft. Unable to post $50,000 bail, he was remanded to the Bureau of Corrections, according to court documents.
