Two more V.I. police officers have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with an existing case against officers Ronald Pickard and Dean Bates.
Friday’s 35-count indictment supersedes the Aug. 3 indictment of Pickard and Bates on 16 counts, including the alleged May 10 rape of an adult nightclub dancer, conspiracy, firearms possession, witness-tampering and civil rights violations by assault and intimidation.
The superseding indictment charges officers Renaldo Philbert and Victor Suarez with a variety of crimes on St. Croix associated with both Pickard and Bates, including assault, intimidation and civil rights violations.
Suarez, a six-year veteran assigned to the Ann Schrader Command, was arrested just before 9 a.m. Friday. According to Police Commissioner Franz Christian Sr., Suarez was relieved of his duties and placed on leave without pay.
Information on Philbert was not immediately available Friday.
Both Pickard and Bates have been under house arrest while awaiting their Feb. 22 trial.
Friday’s indictment said that "under color of law" the defendants "did intentionally and knowingly combine, conspire, confederate and agree with each other . . . to injure, threaten, oppress and intimidate persons residing on and visiting St. Croix…"
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