St. John residents Davidson Alfred, 49, and Lamorthe Delva, 44, face up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines after being convicted on March 5 in District Court of transporting illegal immigrants.
The two were nabbed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on November 2 driving five immigrants away from an East End beach where a vessel carrying 30 Haitians was spotted the previous night, according to a report in the V.I. Daily News.
Alfred drove around a road block that morning and forced CBP officers to draw weapons to stop him, according to the report.
For that offence, he was convicted of an additional charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a federal officer.
A group of Haitian immigrants waded to shore on the East End the night of November 1 and waited in brush until the next morning around 11 a.m. when Alfred and Delva arrived in a silver Ford Explorer, according to the V.I. Daily News report, which cited court documents.
A man from the group of immigrants approached the Ford Explorer and then the man, two women and two children entered the car and began driving toward Cruz Bay, according to the report.
Three CBP officers were in the area responding to a report of individuals spotted in the area wearing wet clothing and carrying large bags, according to the V.I. Daily News report.
CBP officers set up a road block in the Coral Bay area, which Alfred attempted to drive around, stopping only after officers drew their weapons, according to the report.
Once the vehicle stopped, Delva jumped out, climbed a wall and fled into heavy brush. He was later arrested on a warrant, according to the V.I. Daily News report.
Delva and Alfred are scheduled to be sentenced in District Court on June 6.
