United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced that Miguel Marrero, a 52-year-old resident of St. Croix, has pleaded guilty to several charges, including Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Marrero also admitted to two counts of Assault in the First Degree. The plea was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson III.
The charges stem from an incident on July 4, 2024, at the Candido Guadalupe Terrace housing community in St. Croix. According to court documents, Marrero's minor son was involved in a physical altercation with a minor female resident of the same community. The mother of the minor female intervened and confronted Marrero during the altercation. It is alleged that she struck Marrero in the face, prompting him to shoot her as she attempted to leave the scene. He then shot the minor female in her leg and ankle while she tried to flee.
The mother suffered serious injuries from the gunshot wound and required airlifted medical treatment off-island. In 2000, Marrero had been convicted in federal court for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuting the case.
This case falls under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, which aims to address violent crime through collaboration among federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials and community leaders.
For more information on Project Safe Neighborhoods: https://www.justice.gov/psn.