Troy Lance Patterson, Marijuana Trafficking, Virgin Islands 2021

Troy Lance Patterson Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Marijuana Trafficking and Firearm Charges

In a significant blow to the illicit marijuana trade in the Virgin Islands, Troy Lance Patterson, a 52-year-old resident of St. Croix, has been sentenced to 60 months of incarceration for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. The sentence, handed down by Judge Wilma Lewis on July 27, 2021, will be served consecutively with an additional 4 months for the illegal use of a utility charge.

According to court documents, aerial surveillance revealed that Patterson’s Anna’s Hope residence in Christiansted was a potential marijuana cultivation site. On September 18, 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant and located Patterson in possession of an unlicensed, loaded, and operable .38 special revolver. A subsequent search of the residence uncovered over 80 rounds of ammunition, multiple scales, plastic baggies, approximately 168 gross grams of cocaine hydrochloride, approximately 117 grams of marijuana, and $12,473.00 in U.S. currency.

The investigation, led by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, also revealed a multi-room indoor marijuana grow operation with electricity supplied by an unauthorized Water and Power Authority (WAPA) utility connection. This egregious violation of federal and Virgin Islands law has resulted in Patterson facing severe consequences.

Patterson was also sentenced to a term of 4 years supervised release, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,969 to the V.I. Water and Power Authority, fined $1,000, and ordered to pay a special assessment fee of $100. The confiscated $12,473.00 in U.S. currency, firearm, and ammunition were forfeited.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the severity of the consequences for those involved in illicit activities in the Virgin Islands.

The defendant’s real full name is Troy Lance Patterson, and the exact criminal charges include Carrying of a Firearm during a Drug Trafficking Offense and Illegal Use of Utility. The city and state are St. Croix, USVI. The exact date of the crime was September 18, 2019. The sentence or outcome includes 60 months of incarceration, 4 years supervised release, restitution, and fines.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime

Ricky Charles Patterson, Drug Trafficking, Pennsylvania 2025

Aug 27, 2025

Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime

Justin Rosas, Meth and Firearm Possession, Ohio 2019

Feb 8, 2022

Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime

Blade Marshall, Failure to Appear, South Dakota 2022

Feb 21, 2022

Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime

Tiffany Shaffer, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, West Virginia 2018

Jun 19, 2017