Venel Touze, 26, a Haitian national living on St. Thomas, pleaded guilty Thursday before District Court Judge Curtis Gomez, to one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 31, 2018, Touze was traveling in a vehicle in downtown Charlotte Amalie when officers of the V.I. Police Department stopped the vehicle for a traffic infraction. Touze appeared nervous, and officers asked him to exit the vehicle.
Touze then admitted to having a firearm on his person, the court documents show. Officers patted down Touze and discovered a .9 mm Ruger firearm. Touze, a Haitian national, was in the United States by virtue of an expired employment authorization card from 2016.
Touze faces a maximum sentence of 10 years incarceration, a period of supervised release of not more than three years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for June 27.
This case was investigated by the VIPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Everard E. Potter.
