On Saturday, April 23, at 9:43 p.m., patrol units were securing a crime scene, where two stolen vehicles were recovered. According to the V.I. Police Department, a vehicle with three male occupants drove by in the area.
According to several witnesses, two of the males inside the vehicle were involved in a prior case, where shots were fired at a victim, the VIPD said in a press release issued Monday night.
Police detained the men for questioning, and the owner of the vehicle, Naiguan Frett, gave consent to to search his vehicle, the press release stated. Officers discovered a black Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number under the front passenger seat during the search, police said.
None of the male occupants in the vehicle claimed ownership of the firearm. Frett, 23, Orlando Reyes, 19, and Jamari Gumbs, 18, were all arrested and charged with constructive possession of a firearm, pending further investigations and additional charges, the press release stated.
Unable to post bail of $20,000, the men were turned over to the Bureau of Corrections pending their advice of rights hearing.
St. Thomas Police Chief Steven Phillips thanked the community for the continuous effort to get guns off the street. “Ongoing initiative ‘Operation Python’ is now in effect, as we kick off Carnival this week,” he said.
