According to court documents, both incidents occurred around 9:00 p.m. and involved U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents patrolling United States waters. Photo: VI Consortium

Kamoy King, 26, was charged on August 31, 2023, just days after Shamoy Frett, 22, faced similar charges on August 28, 2023.

According to court documents, both incidents occurred around 9:00 pm and involved US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents patrolling United States waters.

Flare warning shots fired @ King's vessel

In King's case, agents noticed a vessel operated by him entering Haulover Bay, St John without any navigational lights on August 30, 2023. When they tried to stop the vessel using their blue police lights and sirens, King initially refused to stop. Agents subsequently fired flare warning shots, compelling King to comply. He was taken into custody, and four illegal aliens were later discovered hiding on a beach by US Border Patrol agents.

Frett said he was paid $1000 to smuggle persons to St John

Similarly, in Frett's case on August 28, 2023, agents saw a vessel operated by him crossing the international border from the British Virgin Islands into United States territory. The vessel also lacked navigational lights. It proceeded to Haulover Bay, where four individuals exited the vessel and moved towards the Haulover Bay trailhead. Despite agents' efforts to stop the vessel using blue lights and sirens, Frett accelerated and failed to comply. The vessel was eventually disabled, forcing it to stop. Frett jumped overboard in an escape attempt but was arrested a short time later. Upon questioning, he admitted to being paid $1,000 by a man in Tortola to smuggle the four illegal aliens to St John.

Both cases are under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, and U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Payne is prosecuting these cases.

United States Attorney Delia L. Smith reiterated that a complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants, including King and Frett, are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.