U.S. Virgin Islands – V.I. Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea today joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in calling on Congress to pass the SAFER Banking Act of 2025. The coalition submitted a letter to congressional leaders urging passage of legislation that would provide legal clarity for banks and financial institutions to serve state-regulated cannabis businesses, addressing critical public safety concerns while improving states’ ability to collect taxes and conduct regulatory oversight.
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – In a strategic effort to enhance trial preparation and prosecution effectiveness, the Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ), St. Croix Criminal Division, hosted a specialized Trial Academy for the Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) on July 11th. The academy, aimed at both detectives and attorneys, focused on preparing key law enforcement personnel for successful trial outcomes by providing intensive training in trial advocacy, evidence presentation, and courtroom procedures.
The Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ) announces the retirement of Amie Simpson, Chief of the Criminal Division for the St. Croix District, after 28 years of dedicated service. Simpson’s final day with the Department will be August 8, 2025, marking the end of a distinguished career in public service.
U.S. Virgin Islands – The Virgin Islands Department of Justice (DOJ) announced today that 26-year-old Daryl Jean-Baptiste has been found guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter in connection with a 2019 fatal car crash. The verdict followed a three-day trial, which concluded on July 23, 2025, before the Honorable Judge Yvette Ross Edwards in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix District.
U.S. Virgin Islands – U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea announced that a transfer hearing was held today for the 15-year-old male minor accused in the June 5, homicide of 38-year-old Jordan “Dutty Heart” Jones. Following the hearing, the minor was ordered to be transferred to adult court, and the adult arrest warrant and charging documents were executed this afternoon.