St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney, Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Javier Enrique Lima of St. Thomas was sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty to possessing and transporting a firearm with an obliterated serial number and fleeing a designated customs facility without authorization.
According to the documents filed in this case, on Feb. 3, 2020, defendant presented himself to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the Red Hook ferry terminal after returning from Tortola, British Virgin Islands. A CBP Officer working the x-ray machine noticed a firearm in the backpack Lima brought with him, and called for another officer. Lima immediately fled the facility on foot, leaving his backpack. The backpack contained a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Law enforcement agents made multiple efforts to locate Lima, but were unable to do so. He later turned himself in and pled guilty.
United States District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced Lima to thirty (30) months imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release on one count and twelve (12) months imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release on one count; to be run concurrently.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
