STT Man Arrested at Airport, Charged with Possession of Marijuana

Allany Peterson-Mendez, a 25-year-old St. Thomas man, was arrested Friday at the Cyril E. King Airport on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced in a news release issued Monday.

According to court documents, Peterson-Mendez flew to St. Thomas on a commercial airline with a green leafy substance contained in his checked luggage. Peterson-Mendez was escorted by Customs and Border Protection officers to a secure location for a baggage check, during which officers located two kilograms of marijuana.

Petersen-Mendez is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The defendant made his initial appearance in federal court Monday before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller.

The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.