Man Possessing a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number in Hospital Ground, St. Thomas Pleads Guilty

 St. Thomas, USVI – Akeem Julien, 25, of St. Thomas, appeared before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in District Court and entered a guilty plea to the charge of Possessing a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced.

According to court documents, on April 8, 2020, while patrolling the Hospital Ground neighborhood in St. Thomas due to recent shootings, Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) officers pursued a group of individuals, including Julien, after the group ran when officers approached.  Surveillance video captured Julien and the others climbing over a railing and onto a patio with two black bags.  The surveillance video shows Julien in possession of one of the bags which he then hands to another individual.  The surveillance video further shows the other individual leave the patio with two bags, heading in one direction, while Julien and others leave in the opposite direction.  The bag Julien possessed contained an AK-47 firearm with an obliterated serial number.  Julien’s DNA was recovered from the AK-47 firearm.

The offense carries a possible sentence of incarceration of up to five years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000 dollars, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office of the Virgin Islands.