Two Men Arrested for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance

St. Thomas, USVI – Tommy Ramirez, 29, of the Dominican Republic and Ramon Clavel, 55, of Haiti, were arrested Monday on a criminal complaint charging them with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Ramirez and Clavel made their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller and were detained pending further proceedings.

According to the complaint, on Monday, Ramirez and Clavel presented themselves at the post office to claim a package that contained one kilogram of cocaine, a controlled substance.

If convicted of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, Ramirez and Clavel face a minimum sentence of five years and a fine of $250,000.00.

United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilty. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.