An employee of the Finance Department was charged with grand larceny and possession of stolen property after his arrest Friday by agents of the V.I. Justice Department.
Melvin Niles, 48, was arrested after an investigation by the Government Corruption Task Force. Prosecutors alleged that Niles sold government computers out of his home in Anna's Retreat.
Agents quoted a witness who said that in responding to a newspaper ad, she arranged to see the computers and accessories Niles was selling at his home. She said the home was stockpiled with computer processing units, monitors and other parts.
Court testimony at a Saturday advice-of-rights hearing at Territorial Court suggested the unidentified woman purchased a computer but quickly realized it belonged to the government.
"Government tags were on the computer and the words 'Financial Management System for the Government of the Virgin Islands' appeared on the computer monitor when the system was turned on," according to court testimony.
Court documents also alleged that four documents printed by the computer system in question were drafted by Finance Commissioner Bernice Turnbull. Turnbull told agents during the course of the probe that Niles was not authorized to remove Finance property for personal use and at no time did Finance sell or give away computers. The stolen computer was valued at $2,500.
During the court hearing, Territorial Court Judge Ishmael Meyers denied the public defender's motion that would have allowed Niles to post 10 percent of bail; he did allow the defendant to post a property bond to facilitate pretrial release.
Niles was ordered to return to court Sept. 14 to enter a plea in response to charges leveled against him. Court documents did not say how long Niles has worked for Finance.