St. Croix Man Indicted on Carjacking and Related Charges

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of the Virgin Islands
March 25, 2014

ST. CROIX—United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe stated today that a federal grand jury in St. Croix has returned a seven-count indictment charging Abdallah Abdallah, 23, of St. Croix, with carjacking, using a firearm during a crime of violence, robbery in the first degree, unauthorized possession of firearm during violent crime, possession of stolen property, unauthorized possession of ammunition, and felon in possession of ammunition. The indictment was returned on March 19, 2014.

According to the indictment, on December 24, 2013, Abdallah and another individual carjacked a red Ford Focus at gunpoint from the victim. If convicted of the carjacking offense as alleged in count one of the indictment, Abdallah faces up to 15 years in federal prison. In addition, if Abdallah is convicted of using a firearm in connection with the carjacking offense, as alleged in count two of the indictment, he faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of seven years in federal prison, which by law must be served consecutively to any sentence he receives for the carjacking offense.

Abdallah appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon for a detention hearing and was ordered detained pending trial. A trial date has not yet been scheduled. United States Attorney Sharpe reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rhonda Williams-Henry and Alphonso Andrews.