Joel A. Lee, CPA, Director of the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue announces a 90-day amnesty to allow taxpayers with outstanding gross receipts and corporate and individual income taxes to obtain relief. This amnesty period will begin on Monday, Nov. 17 and will end on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
V.I. Bureau of Internal Revenue
The amnesty program will cover all delinquent periods up to tax year 2023. For gross receipts, this covers up to December 2023. For gross receipts, the taxpayer must pay the outstanding tax, and interest and penalties will be waived. For corporate and individual income taxes, the amnesty covers up to the 2023 tax year. The taxpayer must pay outstanding tax and interest, and the penalties will be waived.
If there are any questions concerning the amnesty, please contact the Delinquent
Accounts and Returns Branch, at 340-715-1040.
Taylor Jones drives to the basket in the USVI game against Guyana. (Submitted Photo)
The United States Virgin Islands Women came out of the gate strong in their first game at the 2025 Women’s Caribbean Basketball Championships held in Georgetown, Guyana.
The home team was fresh off an opening-day 27-point thrashing of the Bahamas, scoring 102 points. The team was taking the court for the first time. Guyana led 6-0 very early in the contest as the USVI ladies were knocking off some rust. However, the island girls turned on the defense, forcing 27 turnovers. Anisha George, J-Naya Ephraim, Taylor Jones, and Imani Tate all recorded three steals in the win. The Virgin Islands held the team that shot 60% from the field, including making 63% of their three-point shots just the night before, to 24 first-half points.
Point Guard Lanese Bough sets the offense in the USVI game against Guyana. (Submitted Photo)
George and Jones carried the load for the USVI offensively, scoring 23 and 18 points, respectively. This was a total team effort as everyone on the USVI roster played and all but one scored in their 78-54 win.
In the opening game of the day, the Bahamas defeated Suriname 77-45. The Bahamian team had several standouts. Lashann Higgs was the game’s leading scorer with 35 points. LaTavia Braynen collected 13 rebounds. Guard Valerie Nesbitt scored 13 points, dished out 11 assists, and recorded six steals. Beyoncé Jedinie had a double-double, dropping 15 points and snatching 11 rebounds.
The schedule for Friday, Nov. 14, has Suriname playing the USVI at 4:30 p.m. and Jamaica battling the Bahamas at 8:30 p.m.
Victoria Hamilton takes a mid-range shot in the USVI win against Guyana. (Submitted Photo)
Tourism Commissioner Nominee Jennifer Matarangas-King takes the oath before testifying at Thursday’s Senate Rules and Judiciary Committee hearing, where lawmakers advanced multiple nominations and bills to the full Legislature. (Photos by Bernard Matthew and Barry Leerdam, Legislature of the Virgin Islands)
The Senate Rules and Judiciary Committee spent Thursday working through a long agenda that touched nearly every branch of government — confirming judges, vetting nominees, and approving a slate of bills that senators said reflect “where the territory is trying to go.”
By the end of the day, lawmakers had advanced four gubernatorial nominations and six legislative measures to the full body, with committee members praising what Chair Sen. Carla Joseph called “a productive, grounded session.”
Much of the morning was devoted to the nomination of Magistrate Judge Venetia H. Velazquez and Attorney Melanie L. Turnbull to the Superior Court. Both nominees spoke about restoring public confidence in the judiciary through fairness, accessibility, and consistent leadership. Velazquez, who has served on the St. Croix bench for more than a decade, told senators that timely justice depends on structure and accountability. “Every person who enters the courtroom should feel heard and respected — whether they win or lose,” she said, adding that her division issued more than 500 civil orders last year and closed nearly as many cases.
Turnbull, a veteran public defender and nominee to the Family Division on St. Thomas, said her experience representing vulnerable clients has shaped her understanding of justice. “I will run the courtroom with empathy,” she said, “but my decisions will always be grounded in the law.” She called for digitized filing systems and simplified court forms to make the process less daunting for residents. Virgin Islands Bar Association President Russell Pate endorsed both nominees, describing them as “the embodiment of competence, fairness, and service.”
In the afternoon, attention shifted to Jennifer Matarangas-King, nominated to lead the Tourism Department. The St. Croix native, whose career bridges communications, marketing, and executive leadership, outlined a vision centered on digital innovation, workforce development, and stronger connections between residents and the tourism economy. “I’m humbled to do what I love most — serve my community,” she said. “Our people are our greatest asset. We have to show what we’re doing locally — not just the festivals and promotions, but the work behind the scenes: the greeters, the planners, the staff managing 30,000 visitors a day. That’s part of our story too.”
Matarangas-King’s testimony prompted broad discussion about tourism’s future. Sen. Novelle Francis Jr. urged that any marketing strategy must also address sustainability and infrastructure. “We can’t keep attracting visitors to the same beaches and not take care of them,” he said. Senate President Milton Potter described her presentation as “refreshing in its clarity and realism,” while Joseph emphasized that the department’s success “will be measured in how well it engages the community.”
Matarangas-King agreed, adding that tourism “doesn’t just happen in hotels and airports — it happens in neighborhoods, schools, and small businesses. It’s about creating pride and opportunity.”
Also approved was Bernisha B. Liburd, a senior analyst with the Bureau of Economic Research, who was nominated to the Virgin Islands Cannabis Advisory Board. Liburd said the territory has the potential to create a regulated cannabis market that balances opportunity and oversight. “My work has always been guided by evidence — data that tells the story of where we are and how to move forward,” she said. She described plans for a seed-to-sale tracking system, compliance training, and public outreach to ensure equity and transparency. Joseph called her testimony “measured, methodical, and informed,” adding that “the industry’s credibility will depend on data, not politics.”
Before adjourning, senators moved quickly through six bills, forwarding each to the full Legislature. Bill No. 36-0291, amending the Family Caregiver Leave Act, expands job protections for employees caring for elderly or ill relatives — a measure Sen. Angel Bolques Jr. said “makes workplaces more humane without putting small businesses at risk.” Bill No. 36-0293, modernizing taxi commission payments through digital platforms, drew bipartisan support for improving efficiency and accountability. Its sponsor, Sen. Marvin Blyden, said the update “brings an outdated system into the modern era.”
Bill No. 36-0295 streamlines building permits for housing and capital projects — a move Potter described as “critical to our economic recovery.” Bill No. 36-0297 appropriates funds for long-overdue infrastructure work, while Bill No. 36-0300 expands small-business grant opportunities under the Economic Development Authority. The final measure, Resolution No. 1897, honors Virgin Islanders who have distinguished themselves through public service — a nod, Joseph said, “to the people whose quiet contributions shape our community every day.”
The V.I. Public Finance Authority’s board of directors held a virtual meeting Thursday on the video conferencing platform. (Screenshot from meeting)
The Bryan administration Thursday took steps toward plans to issue tax-exempt bonds to the owners of Frenchman’s Reef on St. Thomas after the V.I. Public Finance Authority board of directors approved the creation of the V.I. Hotel Development Financing Corporation.
Nathan Simmonds, the authority’s finance administration director, said the move was similar to the PFA’s establishment of the V.I. Transportation Infrastructure Corporation to administer the GARVEE bonds funding the territory’s road and ferry projects.
“The need to create subsidiaries for the issuance of bonds has grown out of changes in the regulations governing municipal securities,” he said. “The PFA is not at this time able to provide audited financial statements of the government, and as a result we need to create a vehicle by which we can continue to issue bonds for development projects in the territory.”
Responding to a follow-up question from board member Dorothy Isaacs, Simmonds acknowledged that the government has been behind on its audits “for quite some time.”
“Whenever we do get very close, something happens that sets us back,” he said. “Last time we were close was just before Irma-Maria, and then that happened and that set us back. But we’re close … we’re starting to work on the 2024 audits, and hopefully that will be finished in a few months, and then the ‘25, and we’ll be caught up.”
The new subsidiary will be able to issue tax-exempt bonds for hotel development projects and would, according to a proposal Government House announced two weeks ago, allow the current owner of Frenchman’s Reef to use those bonds to “refinance and recoup its initial private investment in the property’s redevelopment by accessing lower, tax-exempt interest rates. This is comparable to industrial development bonds widely used across the United States.”
Simmonds said Thursday that the hotel’s owners would be responsible for the funds, not the government or the PFA.
“At the end of the 30-year period, however, the property — the Frenchman’s Reef Hotel and Buoy Haus — would revert to the government of the Virgin Islands.”
“That is my concern about this,” Isaacs said Thursday. “Why would we want to end up owning a property like that?”
“Why would we want to own any property? I mean, well, I hear people ask this question all the time, and … it is so insulting to me that we as Virgin Islanders aren’t confident and are scared of getting an asset for free,” Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., who chairs the PFA board, answered. “Essentially, we’re already paying for this asset because our Hotel Development Act bonds essentially restored it.”
Bryan said the territory already owns Emerald Beach, Hotel on the Cay, the shuttered Beachcomber Hotel and that it will eventually own the Hampton by Hilton in Havensight.
“We already are in the hotel business,” he said. “I guess we just don’t see it from that perspective. The asset — just like we own the seaplane terminal and a host of other properties on St. Thomas and St. Croix that we lease out to private entities, the same will be done. Or if, 30 years from now, there is a government that wants to operate and run a hotel, then so be it. But the fact is, we’re acquiring an asset with a current value of over $400 million that will probably have a future value somewhere in the neighborhood of eight hundred to a billion dollars — if not more — through this transaction.”
The board also authorized a $10 million payout from the PFA’s debt service reserve fund, allocating $6 million to the V.I. Port Authority for Charlotte Amalie Harbor dredging costs and $2 million to demolish the abandoned Addelita Cancryn School. The V.I. Public Works Department will receive the remaining $2 million for work on Leonardo “Nardo” Trotman Drive.
Later, the board accepted Disaster Recovery Office Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien’s recommendation of MCN Build to renovate and restore the St. Croix Educational Complex through the territory’s Rebuild USVI initiative. Williams-Octalien said the contractor’s total estimate for the project came in at $224.5 million — approximately $130 million less than the other responsive bidder.
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. has submitted legislation to the 36th Legislature seeking approval of two major Coastal Zone Management permits that would allow construction of utility-scale solar energy facilities on St. Thomas, Government House announced in a press release.
The measure, sent with the consent of the St. Thomas Coastal Zone Management Committee, would authorize solar projects at Rem. 17 Estate Bovoni, Nos. 1 and 2 Frenchman’s Bay Quarter, and Parcels 3B and 2, Estate Fortuna. The facilities mirror the scale and design of the solar farms at Estates Petronella and Hogensborg on St. Croix, which have added clean power and stability to that island’s grid, according to the press release.
Citing extraordinary circumstances under Title 12 of the Virgin Islands Code, Section 910, the proposal calls on the Legislature to act in place of the CZM Committee to accelerate permit approval in the public interest, the press release stated.
“Every Virgin Islander deserves power that is steady and affordable,” Bryan said. “I know families and small businesses in the St. Thomas and St. John district are tired of rolling blackouts and the stress that comes with them. These projects are critical to provide real relief, bring new cost-effective generation online, and reduce our dependence on imported fuel. Moving these permits forward quickly is the right step for our people and our energy future.”
According to the administration, swift action is essential to meet federal deadlines established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Executive Order 14315, issued July 7. Those provisions require substantial construction of eligible solar projects by Dec. 31 to qualify for incentives under Sections 48E and 45Y of the Internal Revenue Code. Advancing the permits now would help the territory secure federal benefits, lower long-term energy costs, and improve grid resilience.
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources has reviewed the projects’ documentation, environmental assessments, and site plans. The St. Thomas CZM Committee met with the applicant on Nov. 7, 2025, confirming the projects’ consistency with environmental policies in Title 12 V.I.C. Sections 903 and 906. The proposed legislation maintains all environmental safeguards and monitoring while allowing construction to begin in time to meet energy reliability needs for St. Thomas and St. John, the release stated.
“These solar farms are a practical, proven, and people first response to chronic energy challenges,” Bryan said. “They add clean megawatts, improve reliability and give families and businesses tangible relief on their bills. I appreciate the Legislature’s partnership and ask senators to act with urgency so we can capture federal incentives and deliver the stability our residents deserve.”
If passed, the measure would allow immediate site work and interconnection activities so the projects can be operational by summer 2026. Construction and commissioning will proceed in coordination with the CZM Committee, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, and other agencies upon confirmation of environmental compliance, the release stated.
The official ribbon-cutting for the RTPark solar farm took place Thursday. (Source photo by Diana Dias)
On Thursday, the University of the Virgin Islands RTPark celebrated the completion of its 423-kilowatt, ground-mounted solar farm and companion teaching array, the first layout of its kind in the territory.
The system now fully powers the RTPark headquarters and doubles as a hands-on training site for UVI’s Renewable Energy Technology students. Developed under the S.P.A.R.K. Initiative, the project links clean infrastructure with applied learning, strengthening workforce pathways and demonstrating a modern model of university-industry partnership.
The project, first discussed in 2019 and the groundbreaking occurred in May and was repeatedly described as the result of persistence and collaboration. Speakers credited Special Assistant to the Executive Director Aminah Saleem for championing the effort through years of planning and regulatory processes. Many team members referred to the initiative as “Aminah’s baby,” saying she “stayed on top of it day after day, even when it seemed impossible.”
Throughout the ceremony, Special Assistant to the Executive Director Aminah Saleem was praised for her part in the project. (Source photo by Diana Dias)
Hugo Hodge, president of Volt Energy LLC, described the system’s engineering, which includes 936 modules designed to withstand 185 miles per hour, along with a smaller array dedicated to student training. “These modules can handle 185-mile-per-hour winds. This array is built for our reality,” Hodge said. He added that the design already includes provisions for battery storage, noting, “With batteries, this becomes a full resilience system.”
RTPark Board Chair Ian Tomlinson said the project reflects how strong partnerships can expand opportunities for Virgin Islanders. He credited Executive Director Eric Sonnier for steady leadership and said the team “pushes technology forward and pushes our students forward.” Tomlinson added that he hopes young people will see renewable-energy careers as attainable. “If you can see it, you can be it,” he said.
“Sustainability is not optional for us,” said UVI President Safiya George, who emphasized that the project aligns with the university’s responsibility to pursue sustainability. “It is integral to who we are and what we must build for the future,” she said. George also highlighted the educational benefits of the installation. “This project is a classroom. It is hands-on training. It is an opportunity,” she said, thanking partners for making the work possible.
Government officials are all smiles in front of the 423-kilowatt solar panels.. (Source photo by Diana Dias)
Director of the Caribbean Green Technology Center, Greg Guannel, noted that the process itself offered real-world training for those involved in drafting the RFP, navigating FEMA requirements, and reviewing engineering components. “We grew through this project,” he said. He added that the system was completed on time and on budget, and that students will now be able to observe the same technologies they study in class operating on campus.
“This is what common sense synergy looks like,” Virgin Islands Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming said. He said the solar array represents a natural alignment between UVI, the RTPark and the territory’s clean-energy goals. “UVI is the heart of education in the Virgin Islands, so it only makes sense that UVI is where we build the future of renewable energy.” He stressed the importance of continued workforce development. “If we want energy independence, we need our young people trained and ready,” Fleming said.
An excited crowd was present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new solar farm at the RTPark. (Source photo by Diana Dias)
Office of Disaster Recovery Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien, who was also present, highlighted the extensive effort required to meet federal compliance standards, noting that “resilience isn’t only about infrastructure. It is about the people who make these projects possible.”
Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., along with Sens. Novelle E. Francis Jr. and Hubert L. Frederick, also attended the ribbon-cutting.
Following the ceremony, attendees were given a guided tour by Malachi Peterson of the solar farm and inverter room, allowing partners, students and guests to see the system’s components and layout up close.
Malachi Peterson gives a tour of the 423-kilowatt, ground-mounted solar farm and companion teaching array. (Source photo by Diana Dias)
Immediately afterward, the UVI RTPark and RTPark client I3PG LLC convened the Critical Resilience Forum, a half-day program focused on energy resilience, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and continuity of operations. The forum brought together representatives from the Office of Disaster Recovery, the Virgin Islands Energy Office, WAPA, VITEMA, UVI and private-sector partners, and included demonstrations of Hack The Box, a cyber training platform now being introduced to UVI students.
As of Thursday, the National Hurricane Center does not expect cyclonic development in the next seven days. (Photo courtesy NHC)
The National Hurricane Center does not expect tropical cyclone development across the Atlantic basin during the next seven days, and long-range forecasts suggest a quiet conclusion to the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which officially ends on Nov. 30.
Meanwhile, a swell is generating rough and choppy seas across the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through at least Friday. Dangerous rip currents are expected, particularly along northern beaches across portions of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Local Weather Conditions
According to the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the local weather pattern will remain under the influence of high pressure through Friday, maintaining generally fair weather and warm conditions across the islands. The chance for showers may increase on Saturday and into next week, and while rainfall and thunderstorms may occur at times, the NWS does not expect significant precipitation.
“For the Virgin Islands, seasonably warm temperatures and passing showers are expected. No significant threats are expected over land areas,” the NWS said on Thursday morning.
Marine and Coastal Hazards
While the NWS does not anticipate severe weather in the immediate future, marine conditions will remain hazardous due to a north-northwesterly swell affecting local waters. Small Craft Advisories are in effect for portions of the Atlantic waters and Caribbean passages surrounding Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands through early Friday morning.
A graphic from the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shows marine weather-related threats across the local islands in the next few days. (Photo courtesy NWS)
A High Rip Current Risk is also in effect for Atlantic-exposed beaches of the northern U.S. Virgin Islands and parts of Puerto Rico, where life-threatening surf and rip currents are expected. In addition, a High Surf Advisory remains in place for portions of Puerto Rico’s north-facing coastline.
“A north-northwesterly swell will continue to arrive Thursday, deteriorating marine conditions,” the NWS warned. “Conditions are expected to gradually improve on Friday. However, a broad surface high pressure over the north-central Atlantic will continue to promote moderate to locally fresh easterly winds across the regional waters during the next few days, keeping choppy to occasionally rough seas,” the NWS explained.
Tips on how to escape the pull of a powerful rip current. (Photo courtesy NWS)Cyclonic Development Not Expected in Coming Weeks
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will officially come to an end Sunday, Nov. 30. According to the NHC on Thursday, no cyclonic development is forecast to develop within the next seven days. Additionally, a Global Tropics Hazards Outlook released Tuesday by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center also explained that tropical activity is not expected through the end of the season across the Atlantic basin.NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released its weekly Global Tropics Hazards Outlook on Tuesday. NOAA does not expect cyclonic development in the remaining weeks of hurricane season. (Photo courtesy NOAA)
In a recent exclusive video interview with the VI Source, Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert at AccuWeather, indicated that, based on climatology, the eastern Caribbean typically does not see hurricanes after November. Still, he urged individuals across the islands to remain prepared.
“Climatologically, the eastern Caribbean is usually in the clear after November starts, but we can never let our guard down,” DaSilva said. “The warm sea surface temperatures and La Nina conditions could still spark one or two storms before the end of the month. Even a single storm can have major impacts, as history has shown,” he continued.
Historic Hurricane Season So Far
During the interview with the Source, DaSilva also noted that the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has already proven to be historic.
Cyclone tracks so far during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. (Photo courtesy NWS and NHC)
“We’ve seen three Category 5 hurricanes this year, which is only the second time in history that’s ever happened. The cyclones that formed essentially went to the moon in terms of intensity. That’s being driven by incredibly warm sea surface temperatures, especially in the Caribbean, where the heat extends hundreds of feet down. That deep energy is what allows storms like Melissa to explode,” DaSilva explained.
Information contained in a media advisory released by AccuWeather on Wednesday shared details regarding notable events that have occurred so far throughout the season, including Hurricane Melissa, which became one of the most powerful cyclones ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.
While one cyclone — Tropical Storm Chantal — made landfall on the U.S. mainland earlier this year, both the mainland and the nation’s Caribbean territories, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, have so far avoided a direct strike from a hurricane of Category 1 strength or higher, thanks to several favorable atmospheric factors.
“Fueled by near-record ocean heat, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has produced a range of extreme, unusual and historic events — including the rare Fujiwhara Effect, repeated close calls for the U.S. coastline, significant coastal erosion, and three storms that underwent extreme rapid intensification before reaching Category 5 intensity,” the AccuWeather article said.
“The U.S. benefited from a combination of unique atmospheric conditions, the timing of cold fronts pushing across the East Coast, and a lot of luck to make it through the peak of the season without a single hurricane landfall. This reprieve is welcome after recent catastrophic hurricane strikes like Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. “The U.S. has endured 17 hurricane landfalls in the past five years. Many families and businesses are still struggling to recover,” AccuWeather explained.
Still, while the U.S. mainland and the U.S. Virgin Islands have not experienced a direct hit from a hurricane in 2025, several areas elsewhere in the Atlantic basin have been significantly impacted by powerful storms such as Hurricane Melissa, which caused widespread damage in Jamaica and parts of the Caribbean.
“Despite the lack of U.S. landfalls, this was an incredibly powerful and unique hurricane season, which featured several rapidly intensifying storms. Water temperatures hundreds of feet below the ocean surface surged to near-record territory again this year,” Porter said. “Tragically, 2025 will be remembered for the last storm of the year so far. It only takes one landfall to create a devastating season, and Melissa was the deadliest and most destructive,” AccuWeather reported.
Stay Informed
While no tropical development is expected near the Virgin Islands through the end of this year’s hurricane season, it’s important to remember that forecasts can change. Residents and visitors are encouraged to stay vigilant and remain prepared. For the latest updates, visit the official websites of NOAA, the NWS, and the NHC.
The local weather forecast for the U.S. Virgin Islands is also regularly updated on the Source Weather Page and VI Source YouTube Channel. Additionally, residents and visitors can find weather alerts and preparedness information from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency.
Community members will build strength and focus during Elevate Wi’s weekly WiFit class, a donation-based calisthenics and karate session led by instructor Tyrone Reid at ElevateWi Studios. (Shutterstock image)
Elevate Wi invites the community to participate in their WiFit initiative that offers a weekly donation-based calisthenics and karate class Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at ElevateWi Studios.
The class structure follows a simple framework beginning with a warm-up inclusive of basic movements, followed by stretching and mobility work, and then ending with a practice of karate fundamentals.
The instructor, Tyrone Reid, was inspired by accessible community fitness, like senior classes in parks. Reid emphasizes that he makes adjustments for beginners or those working around injuries. “I keep classes accessible for all levels by offering multiple difficulty tiers for every exercise. I’ll often have different groups doing different drills with workouts tailored to who is in the room,” Reid explained.
Beyond physical fitness, Reid notes the mental benefits of consistent workout routines. “In my classes, participants have a chance to turn off the outside world and focus. This break from the rigors of the world and everyday life supports mental clarity, mood, and leading a more balanced life,” Reid said.
The decision to make the class donation-based is central to its mission. “I don’t ever want someone that could benefit, to suffer because they don’t have the money,” Reid explained, who credits scholarships and free classes with starting his own fitness journey and feels it is his duty to pay it forward.
Reid’s teaching is shaped by his own experience as a student who wasn’t “naturally talented.” Having been both the “low achiever” and “star pupil,” he believes everyone can improve with effort and the right guidance. “I have witnessed regular participants get stronger, faster, and more coordinated. Everyone always leaves energized and in a great mood,” expressed Reid.
While Reid maintains that Elevate Wi is the permanent home to his classes, he remains open to offering his classes at pop-up events in other locations as demand grows.
“The bags will be getting hit whether it’s just me or a full house,” Reid said.
Interested participants are encouraged to register for classes at wistudios.as.me/wifit.
The Virgin Islands Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating an armed robbery that occurred Friday night, Nov. 7, at The Palms at Pelican Cove in Christiansted, St. Croix, the department announced in a press release.
According to police, at around 9 p.m. on Nov. 7, units responded to the hotel after receiving reports of an attempted robbery. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victims, who said that while parking their rental vehicle near their hotel room, two masked men approached them with firearms and demanded the car key.
One of the victims told police the suspects got into the rental vehicle but quickly exited after noticing it was equipped with a GPS tracking device. The suspects then fled the scene in a white Toyota Venza bearing license plate CIM-586, reportedly with two additional occupants, taking the victims’ rental car key, police said.
The victims were unable to provide full descriptions of the suspects due to their masks and dark clothing but described one as a tall, dark-skinned man, possibly with dreadlocks, and armed with a black handgun, according to VIPD.
The VIPD is urging anyone with information about the incident to contact 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-778-2211, or Crime Stoppers USVI at 800-222-TIPS.
A St. Croix man allegedly shot at a woman and her small children, then chased them in his car. (Shutterstock image)
The St. Croix man who allegedly shot at a woman and her children as they fled also chased them at high speed down the Melvin Evans Highway, according to court records posted Thursday.
K’Jahni Rivera, 23, was on probation for two previous domestic violence-related convictions when, with nowhere else to go, he begged to sleep at an ex-girlfriend’s apartment, according to court records.
Rather than staying just the night, Rivera took the woman’s keys and refused to return them. He would leave the door unlocked for her, she told police he said.
On Sunday, Rivera demanded the woman wash his clothes. He became enraged when she refused. He smashed up her bedroom and threatened her with a handgun, according to court records.
Fearing for her life and the safety of her two children, the woman followed Rivera’s orders to sit on the bed. She told police she considered running, but saw that Rivera was shaking uncontrollably, which she recognized as an indicator that he was nearing a blind violent outburst.
“The victim stated that she continued thinking of a way to get out and eventually told Mr. Rivera that her throat was very dry, and that she needed to drink some water, which is when he allowed her to go out of the room,” according to a police report of the incident.
Realizing that her phone was inoperable, the woman grabbed her children — aged 10 and 8 — and ran to her car. As she drove away, Rivera allegedly fired a single shot at them. Police later recovered a 9mm bullet casing in front of the apartment, according to court records.
When the victim and her children pulled over to use a telephone, they saw Rivera drive by. Suspecting they had been seen, the woman got back in her car but found the road blocked by Rivera’s blue Honda. Fearing more gunfire, the woman drove around Rivera’s Honda. He tried to ram her vehicle, she said.
Both cars veered off the road into a grassy area before a high-speed chase down the Melvin Evans Highway, according to court records.
“The victim stated that her children, who were seated in the back seat of the vehicle, were shouting Mummy, please go faster as she heard fear in their voices. The victim stated that she got back onto the roadway, overtook five cars, and took a big risk after she assessed the incoming traffic, by quickly veering into incoming traffic which was traveling eastbound on the Melvin H. Evans highway,” police told the Superior Court. “The victim began to cry as she explained the fear that she felt, and the fear that she observed in her children after these two incidents, noting that they did not sleep and continued to stay within a few feet of her.”
Rivera was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempted murder, according to police. It was not clear from court records if he was able to post 20% of his $100,000 bail required to gain release.
It was not Rivera’s first domestic violence arrest. He was on probation for two separate violent incidents.
Rivera had 16 days left on a one-year probation order after allegedly choking a woman and beating her bloody in front of their child in 2023. The woman had suggested ways he could be a better father when, according to court records, Rivera flew into a rage. When she attempted to flee, Rivera allegedly picked her up and threw her back in the house.
The victim was left with a sore neck, severe headaches, red and dark colored marks, abrasions, and swollen contusions on her forehead, left arm, neck, back of ears, back, under her eyes and nose. She also had dried blood on her back, according to court records. She told police it was not the first time Rivera had attacked her so viciously that she feared for her life.
Rivera was initially charged with attempted murder and assault. The charges were eventually reduced to preventing or dissuading a witness from attending trial. On Nov. 26, 2024, Judge Douglas Brady sentenced Rivera to a one-year suspended jail sentence and one year of probation. He was also ordered to stay away from the victim and complete an anger management course for batterers.
In May, Judge Ernest E. Morris found Rivera guilty of two counts of domestic violence assault and battery after Rivera failed to complete an anger management course mandated in a 2021 plea agreement. Rivera, then 18, had been charged with assault and battery after allegedly choking and punching the face of a former girlfriend — a minor.
When Rivera failed to finish an anger management course, Morris sentenced Rivera to two six-month terms for the beating, but suspended the sentence so he could continue his newly-found work as a heavy equipment operator. On May 1, Rivera was given one year of probation, during which he was ordered not to violate any laws.
In July, attorneys for Rivera said he had completed 15 of 16 hours of anger management courses but had not yet enrolled in a mandated “primary batterers intervention” course. Morris gave Rivera until Feb. 4 to do so.
