May 18, 2007 — Working from complaints made by local citizens, federal and local law-enforcement agents recently wrapped up a nine-month special operation designed to put a damper on some of the territory's drug-trafficking activities.
Officers made 33 arrests on St. Croix through Operation Shut Dem Down, a venture by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), which includes agents and employees of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the V.I. Police Department and the V.I. National Guard, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The joint operation began last September and involved the purchase of illegal substances from 37 suspects targeted on St .Croix. The purchases were made near Estate Glynn, Estate Profit, downtown Frederiksted, Estate Campo Rico, Estate Western Suburb, Sunday Market Square and the Canegata Ballpark.
"We targeted these areas primarily on citizen complaints," said DEA Agent in Charge Gene Hawk, according to the news release. "In my mind, these are basically citizen arrests. Citizens provided the information and we targeted those areas. Keep the calls coming; we're listening."
Those arrested during the bust have been charged in either federal District Court or V.I. Superior Court with distribution of crack, cocaine or heroin.
Arrested during the operation were: Henry Watson, Renford Nicholas, Listue Lindsay, Henry Mason, Ronald Jacobs, Angel F. Perdermo, John E. Williams, Michael Allan, Pearnell Towers, Inginio Santos Garcia, Joe Quinones, Eustace Jarvis, Charlie Petersen, Ruebin Estein, Adolphus Pennyfeather, Reynald Thomas, Lionel Sackey, Julio Acevedo, Remy Wells, Felicita Carino, Javier Cedando, Shawn Maduro, Carl Fredericks, Elvis Rivera, Angel Dejesus, Luis Cepeda, Alphonso Boyd, Servaine Hendricks, Rajah-I Williams, Ikemadu Phipps, Austin Georges, Laurisa Davis and Patrick Payne.
Officials will continue to work together aggressively to take these and other people involved in local drug-distribution activities off the streets, according to U.S Attorney Anthony Jenkins and local Attorney General Victor Frazer.
Residents who wish to report drug-related information can call the HIDTA Task Force at 692-9500 on St. Croix or 774-2398 on St. Thomas. Information will be kept confidential at the caller's request.
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