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A Traffic Check Point Leads To Firearms and Drugs Seizure
September 17, 2009
A traffic checkpoint stop on St. Croix just before noon Tuesday led to the execution of two search warrants and the confiscation of guns and drugs over a two-day period.
The traffic check point was set in the vicinity of K-Mart West and just after noon Tuesday a late model pick-up truck came into the area.
At first the vehicle stopped, but when police approached the driver fled the area in the vehicle, according to Deputy Chief Chris Howell.
A short car chase followed and the suspect drove his pick up into the bushes behind the Subway restaurant and fled into the bushes.
Police cordoned off the area and sent the K9 officer to flush out the suspect who was subsequently arrested.
Police found a small amount of marijuana on the suspect charged him with Simple Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Arrested was 37-year-old Michael Maragh of La Grande Princess.
Maragh was placed on a $10,000 bail.
Based on historical information on the suspect police obtained a search warrant on his primary residence which they executed several hours later.
During the search law enforcement took into custody a loaded 380 cal. semi automatic pistol and a chemical substance later confirmed to be amphetamines.
VIPD joined with HIDTA agents, local FBI agents and U.S. Marshalls to carry out the search warrants.
Over the next 12 hours based on additional information law enforcement requested an additional search warrant on a secondary residence of the suspect in Estate Oxford.
There police discovered an indoor marijuana cultivation operation.
A 45 cal. semi-automatic weapon was taken into custody along with a quantity of an unknown chemical substance which will be sent for forensic analysis.
Law enforcement contacted officials at the Water and Power Authority and informed them that there may be illegal hook up of electricity to power the marijuana cultivation operation.