According to an announcement made by V.I. Attorney General Denise George, a St. Thomas Superior Court jury found 39-year-old Devindra Jaglal guilty of second-degree assault and simple assault on May 26, 2022 after he imprisoned a woman against her will in 2020. Jaglal faces up to 10 years in prison for his crimes.
The jury selection process began on May 23, 2022. Jaglal was charged with three-count information for the following crimes: (1) False Imprisonment; (2) Second-Degree Assault, and (3) Simple Assault. On May 26, 2022, the matter was submitted to the jury for deliberations around noon, and the jury was quick to return a verdict shortly before 4:00 p.m. Jaglal was found not guilty of committing the crime of false imprisonment but found guilty of committing the remaining crimes of second-degree assault and simple assault. Jaglal faces up to 10 years imprisonment for second-degree assault, and for simple assault, he faces up to 1 year.
Virgin Islands Department of Justice (VIDOJ) Criminal Division Chief Quincy McRae, and Assistant Attorney General Kimberly Riley, represented the People. They were assisted by V.I. Police Department (VIPD) Officer Khalil Tatum. The prosecution team proved to the jury that on Nov. 15, 2020, Jaglal restrained a woman in a hotel room while physically assaulting her.
According to an Affidavit, police received a call from a hotel guest about a woman screaming for help. Police officers were dispatched to the location of the hotel. Upon arrival, they observed the woman with bruises about her body and redness to her neck. The victim indicated that Jaglal was her boyfriend and stated they lived together in Florida. The victim told the officers that she was afraid to speak to them for fear that Jaglal would kill her. The individual who called 911 stated that he was staying next door to Jaglal’s room and heard the screaming. He recorded the screaming with his cellphone, and while doing so, Jaglal came outside on the balcony and confronted him. He said Jagla told him to mind his own business. The individual then told Jaglal he was going to call the police, to which Jaglal replied, “call the police.” Jaglal was subsequently placed under arrest.
After the verdict, the Jaglal was given two hours to collect his belongings before reporting to the V.I. Bureau of Corrections to await sentencing, set for June 30, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.
