Police Officer Ian E. Williams Jr. has been arrested on a federal charge of tampering with a victim and witness and a territorial charge of third-degree assault.
The arrest stems from a Dec. 2 incident in which Williams, 27, allegedly put a handgun to a woman's head and threatened to kill her, according to a release Friday from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The federal charge accuses him of "intentionally harassing" the woman to prevent her from reporting to authorities the possible commission of a federal civil rights offense.
The maximum penalty for the victim-witness tampering offense is one year in prison and a $5,000 fine. The maximum penalty for the assault charge is five years in prison and a $3,000 fine.
U.S. Magistrate Geoffrey W. Barnard on Friday ordered Williams to remain in custody pending a detention hearing Tuesday.
The announcement of the arrest was made jointly by U.S. Attorney James A. Hurd Jr.; James K. Weber, FBI special agent in charge; and Franz A. Christian Sr., acting V.I. Police commissioner.
Hurd commended the FBI and V.I. Police Department officers who investigated the case.