Eugene Monsanto, Jr., 40, of St. Thomas, was caught red-handed with a loaded .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver during a routine border inspection at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s St. John Port of Entry. The arrest, made Sunday, May 30, 2016, came as Monsanto disembarked the M/V Sundance Queen and presented himself for inspection — a move that quickly backfired.
CBP officers didn’t need long to make the discovery. A sweep of Monsanto’s carry-on bag turned up the fully loaded firearm without delay. No explanation was offered on-site, but the implications were immediate: as a convicted felon, Monsanto is barred under federal law from possessing any firearm. Now, he’s staring down a potential decade behind bars.
Monsanto was formally charged in a criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in St. Thomas, where he was released on an unsecured $10,000 bond. His mother has taken on third-party custody as the case moves forward.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, conviction on the single count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. No additional weapons or contraband were reported at the time of arrest, but investigators are reviewing Monsanto’s recent movements and criminal history for possible links to broader illegal activity.
The case is being handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with Assistant United States Attorney Kim L. Chisholm leading the prosecution. Authorities stress that while the charge is serious, the investigation remains ongoing and evidence is still being collected.
U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe issued a reminder that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. Eugene Monsanto, Jr. is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law. For now, the gun is locked up — and so is the spotlight on his next court date.
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Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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