U.S. Virgin Islands -V.I. Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea announced that Defendant Keithley Jones pleaded guilty to First degree unlawful sexual contact in V.I. Superior Court on the morning of jury selection, December 6, 2024. The charges stemmed from his sexual abuse of a child under the age of 13 between 2019 and 2022. Jones had been charged with Aggravated Rape in the First Degree, Unlawful Sexual Contact in the First Degree, and Child Abuse.
U.S. Virgin Islands – In the spirit of gratitude and giving, the Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ), led by Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea, is proud to announce that DOJ employees demonstrated generosity and support by contributing food items for a “Thanksgiving Turkey & Fixings Food Drive.” This effort, in partnership with the Family Resource Center (FRC) on St. Thomas/St. John and the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix (WCSC), helped provide boxes of food to those in need this holiday season.
U.S. Virgin Islands – Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea announces the holiday hours for the St. Thomas and St. Croix offices of the V.I. Department of Justice’s Paternity & Child Support Division in observance of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
U.S. Virgin Islands – Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea announced that the legal action filed by Supervisor of Elections, Ms. Carolyn F. Fawkes, against the Board of Elections and its members who voted to place candidate Ms. Ida Smith’s name on the ballot was dismissed on November 12, 2024, following a Memorandum Decision and Order issued on November 8, 2024. The Court held that as an employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands, Ms. Fawkes had no authority to independently sue, without explicit statutory authority to do so, except under the enforcement authority of the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands. The Court further held that Ms. Fawkes could not continue her suit as a taxpayer “because she cannot show that she has suffered an injury of some substantial right”.
U.S. Virgin Islands – Virgin Islands Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea announced today that 37 federal law enforcement officers have recently been commissioned as Virgin Islands Peace Officers. The officers received their commissions after completing the required training on Virgin Islands history and cultural sensitivities, led by UVI Professor Olasee Davis.