Jashawn Bailey, 30, is staring down a federal gun charge after cops found a .45 caliber Taurus firearm with its serial number scratched clean, wrapped in a T-shirt and hat at a St. Thomas crime scene. The arrest, made Friday, lands Bailey in the crosshairs of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which slapped him with a criminal complaint for possession of a defaced firearm.
According to court documents, Virgin Islands Police rolled up on the scene December 14, 2016, and uncovered the weapon stashed in plain sight. Bailey was present when officers arrived and allegedly admitted on the spot that the gun was his. No shots were fired, but the erased serial number instantly raised red flags under federal firearms laws.
At his initial appearance the same day, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller handled the arraignment. Bailey was released pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday. No further conditions of release were disclosed, but the case is now moving toward deeper legal scrutiny.
If convicted, Bailey faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine. Federal prosecutors don’t take kindly to tampered firearms—the obliteration of serial numbers is a serious offense meant to evade tracking and traceability of weapons used in violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte is handling the prosecution, building a case that hinges on Bailey’s admission and forensic evidence tying him to the weapon.
U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe issued a reminder that the complaint is not proof of guilt. “Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Sharpe said. But with the serial wiped and the admission on record, the government’s case is already loaded.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Virgin Islands
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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