Americus Jackson, 48, former acting police chief, has pleaded guilty to grand larceny, admitting that he took a government-owned truck from Property and Procurement and transferred it to his name without permission or payment.
Jackson, who was deputy chief at the time of the incident in March 1996, admitted he told several people he was going to use the 1993 Dodge Ram pickup truck for Police Department business.
However, he took the truck from Property and Procurement's yard using a Police Department tow truck and eventually transferred the registration and ownership to himself.
Jackson agreed to return the vehicle to the Virgin Islands government as part of a plea bargain in the case.
A press release Monday afternoon from U.S. Attorney James Hurd said the maximum statutory penalty for grand larceny is 10 years' imprisonment.
Hurd commended the the Federal Bureau of Investigation's efforts in resolving the case.