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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsLocal newsFour Charged in Florida-St. Thomas Firearms Case

Four Charged in Florida-St. Thomas Firearms Case

U.S. Attorney Ronald Sharpe announced Monday that four men have been arrested and a federal grand jury has returned a 12-count indictment against them.

According to the news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, Tequan Anthony Joseph, 23; Ja’Moi Khadeem Corraspe, 22; D’Mari Jahcoi Heyliger, 22; and Calvia Lake, 20, have been charged with federal and territorial firearm offenses.

Joseph was arrested April 14 in Atlanta and is awaiting transportation to St. Thomas. Corraspe was arrested April 14 in White Plains, N.Y., and is also awaiting transportation to St. Thomas.

Heyliger was arrested April 15 on St. Thomas and is detained pending a detention hearing and arraignment Friday in District Court.

Lake was arrested April 14 on St. Thomas and was released on bond. Her arraignment also is scheduled Friday in District Court.

According to the indictment, the three men and one woman conspired to unlawfully mail firearms from Florida to St. Thomas. Sharpe said the investigation began when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted some of the packages with firearms. The U.S. Postal Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives jointly investigated the case.

The U.S. Attorney detailed the following charges.

– Joseph is charged with three firearm conspiracy counts, one count of unlawful shipment of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers, and one count of unlawful mailing of a firearm.

– Heyliger is charged with two firearm conspiracy counts, two counts of possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers, and unlawful attempt to receive a firearm. Heyliger also is charged under Virgin Islands law with two counts of possession of a firearm with altered identification marks and two counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm.

– Corraspe is charged with three firearm conspiracy counts.

– Lake is charged with one firearm conspiracy count.

Conspiracy to unlawfully mail firearms carries a maximum sentence of two years, Sharpe said. The other federal offenses carry a maximum sentence of five years.

The territorial charge of possession of firearms with altered identification marks carries a mandatory 15-year sentence, and the territorial charge of possession of an unlicensed firearm carries a maximum sentence of five years.

Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte is prosecuting the case.

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