Charges laid indictable, Defence Lawyer Argue for Bail

The twenty charges Nyron Erickson now faces in the British Virgin Islands surround alleged involvement of guns, drugs and money crimes perpetrated between January – December 2021 via phone communication with Jose Almestica who was a fugitive in the territory at the time. This was revealed by Crown Prosecutor Khadija Beddeau in the Magistrate Court today, September 25, 2023.

Accompanied by police officers, a handcuffed Erickson was brought to the High Court Building located at the upper flat of the House of Assembly building in Road Town, Tortola for a virtual appearance before Senior Magistrate Senior Magistrate Tamia Richard.

The court heard that following the arrest of Almestica on December 7, 2021 investigations found phone evidence of communications between the two detailing instructions and confirmations of multiple illegal activities between January – December 2021.

During the bail application, Erickson’s lawyer, Valerie Stephens-Gordon, contended that despite being in custody for more than two years, the 31-year-old resident of West End, Tortola, was not informed of any of the allegations. Additionally, she argued that he poses no risk of fleeing and does not require police protection.

However, Crown Prosecutor Beddeau asked the court to refuse bail for Erickson, highlighting the presence of evidence supporting the 20 charges against him, ranging from possessing a prohibited weapon, unlawfully possessing a firearm without a licence, possessing a controlled substance with the intention to distribute, Possessing Cannabis with intent to supply, possession of proceeds from criminal activities and Possession of Forge Currency Notes.

Beddeau revealed that a cell phone confiscated from Erickson while he was at Balsam Ghut also contained evidence of communication between him and murder accused Jose Almestica.

Almestica, who had escaped from prison in 2017 after Hurricane Irma and was recaptured on December 7, 2021, and later charged with the murder of Deverson Williams in addition to similar charges now slapped on Erickson.

Williams was shot multiple times while driving on Fish Bay Road during daylight hours on March 16, 2021.

Erickson’s lawyer further submitted that the police have displayed an element of vindictiveness in the Prosecution objecting to bail, pointing out that other defendants involved in the Almestica cell phone case were granted pretrial liberty.

After a short break, the court was informed that due to the highly sensible nature of further submissions the Prosecution needed to present to support objecting to bail, the court was taken in-camera barring the submissions from going public.

On February 27, Erickson was extradited to the United States Virgin Islands after unsuccessful appeals in the local Court of Appeal and in the United Kingdom Privy Council.

He was charged with conspiracy to launder monetary funds from outside the United States and unlawfully transporting the funds into the United States. After six months in federal custody, prosecutors dismissed the case against him.
On September 20, Erickson was arrested in Road Town by local authorities as he stepped off the ferry from the United States Virgin Islands.

Following a series of arguments that lasted more than an hour, the media was barred from the proceedings due to the Crown Prosecutor’s submission that sensitive information would be disclosed in the court.