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Felony Gun Charge Sends St. Thomas Man to Prison
A St. Thomas man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a court ruling.
Lued Browne, 44, received the sentence from District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez after pleading guilty to the charge on September 14, 2015. In addition to the prison time, Browne was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release, 400 hours of community service and pay a $100 special assessment, the court ruled.
The charges against Browne stem from an incident on May 22, 2015, when Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) officers responded to a report that a vehicle was blocking the exit at the Antilles School. Upon arrival at the scene, officers observed Browne, the sole occupant of the vehicle, sitting in the driver’s seat. A firearm was found between the driver’s seat and the center console of the vehicle, and Browne was subsequently charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The firearm was recovered by the officers, and it was later discovered that Browne was a convicted felon due to a previous conviction for armed bank robbery and use or possession of a firearm during a crime of violence in the Northern District of Florida, Gainesville Division, in 1992. As a convicted felon, Browne is not legally permitted to possess a firearm in the Virgin Islands.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the VIPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Browne’s sentence is a result of his prior conviction and his possession of a firearm in the Virgin Islands, a territory where he is not allowed to possess such a weapon. The ruling is a reminder of the serious consequences that come with committing crimes involving firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department worked together to bring the case to a successful conclusion. The sentence handed down by Judge Gomez serves as a warning to those who would attempt to possess firearms illegally in the Virgin Islands.
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Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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