Judge receives updates on five federal cases on St. Croix involving shootings, fraud and extortion

ST. CROIX — A federal magistrate judge received updates during calendar calls on five cases today in District Court involving two shootings, two cases of suspected fraud, and the alleged extortion of a Gallows Bay business owner.

Attorneys discussed delayed discovery of surveillance footage in cases involving the homicide of a Christiansted jeweler and suspected fraud concerning programs receiving federal funds, while the judge questioned the slow pace attorneys are moving toward a resolution in a case involving the alleged theft of coronavirus relief funds.

Attorneys provided the court an update on the potential acceptance of a plea agreement in a case involving the nonfatal shooting of a mother and her minor daughter, while the unavailability of the prosecution pushed the trial date of the extortion case to the end of March despite a desire from the defense to begin sooner.