A man out on probation after a conviction for illegal possession of a firearm was arrested Saturday with another illegal firearm, police said Monday — the anniversary of his previous arrest.
Oshanie Cornelius, 26, had violated provisions of his parol, police said, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. When officers of the Special Operations Bureau executed the warrant on Cornelius’ King Street, Christainsted address, they found Cornelius in possession of a weapon with no serial number. The ghost gun also had an illegal switch to make it automatic and an extended magazine for rapid, repeated fire.
Cornelius was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm and possession or sale of ammunition. His bail was set in the amount of $50,000.
June 3, 2020, exactly four years ago, Cornelius and three others were arrested in connection with the murders of 19-year-old Selena Chitolie, who died of injuries sustained during a May 15, 2020, shooting in Estate Paradise, and 22-year-old Gyasi Chiverton, who was shot mid-January near Thomas Bakery in Estate Castle Coakley. Search warrants turned up multiple guns – nine pistols and one rifle – that police said were not legally registered in the territory.
Cornelius was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. It was unclear the length of Cornelius’ sentence or how long he had been out on parole Monday because the District Court’s records office remained offline due to technical difficulties.
Ghost guns, pieced together by amateur gun builders and illegal arms dealers, lack serial numbers, making them difficult to trace. They are often shipped as fragmented components, making them difficult to identify and regulate until they are fully assembled, police have said.
In December, convicted illegal gun builder Somalie Bruce, 37, of St. Croix, was sentenced to 10 years incarceration after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and possession with intent to distribute. That same week, St. Croix police pulled over 27-year-old Shabukah Bannis for a routine traffic stop. In her car, they found a tan-colored 9mm ghost gun with an extended 22 rounds magazine, police said.
