Delroy A. Thomas, 25, was arraigned Thursday in District Court on St. Croix after being charged for allegedly planning the killings of two witnesses while he was in jail awaiting trial for another crime, according to U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe.
Thomas was detained pending trial.
He is being charged in a three-count information with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire and related offenses, U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced.
The information is the result of months of investigative work by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Virgin Islands Police Department; the FBI; Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
The investigation was initiated based on information that an inmate at Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility on St. Croix was planning to murder two witnesses in his upcoming case in the Virgin Islands Superior Court, Sharpe said in his news release.
Thomas is charged with use of interstate commerce facility in commission of murder for hire, attempted murder and attempted retaliation against a witness.
If convicted on count one, Thomas faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. On count two, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; and on count three, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $2,000 fine.