St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – On Friday, August 28, 2026, officers assigned to the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Special Operations Bureau were conducting routine patrol operations when they observed a black Toyota Tacoma overtake several vehicles across a solid double yellow line.
Officers initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, later identified as 39-year-old Jaime St. Omer. Upon being advised of the reason for the stop, St. Omer opened the driver’s side door and began explaining his actions to the officers.
As officers approached the vehicle, they immediately observed what appeared to be the barrel of a firearm protruding from beneath the driver’s seat in plain view. Officers then inquired whether St. Omer possessed a valid license for the firearm. St. Omer stated that he did not.
St. Omer was immediately detained and subsequently arrested for Carrying of a Firearm Openly or Concealed, Possession or Sale of Ammunition, Negligent Diving. He was thereafter booked and processed. Bail for St. Omer was set at $50,000.00. Unable to post bail, he was remanded to the custody of the John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility pending his Advice of Rights Hearing scheduled for Monday, August 31, 2026, in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
