ST. THOMAS, USVI – U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that a New York man was arrested Tuesday, March 29, 2022, on St. Thomas on criminal charges related to making bomb threats that were allegedly made involving a business on St. John.
According to court documents, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Gilbert Brady, 54, after telephone calls were made to the Virgin Islands Territory Emergency Management Agent (VITEMA) 911 call center and the Beach Bar, in Wharfside Village, St. John stating that explosives were left at the Beach Bar.
On March 20, 2022, an unidentified male called 911 to report that he had left a “package with a timer on it” at the Beach Bar in St. John. The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) responded and evacuated the premises. No device was discovered. On March 23, 2022, an unidentified male called the Beach Bar and stated that he had placed an explosive under the stage and that it would detonate in 45 minutes. Employees recognized the caller as Brady who had recently been banned from the Beach Bar. Shortly thereafter, an unidentified caller called 911 and stated that, “whatever is under the stage at the Beach Bar in St. John is going to detonate and injure an awful lot of people.” Again, the Beach Bar was evacuated, and no explosive was found. The 911 caller was later identified as Brady.
Brady is charged with willfully making a threat involving an explosive pursuant to 18 U.S.C § 844(e). If convicted, Brady faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.