Two women from the Dominican Republic have been arrested after alleged Illegal Entry via Boat to St. John from the BVI.
Federal officials apprehended two women on St. John last Thursday following their suspected unauthorized arrival from Tortola.
According to the VI Consortium, one suspect admitted crossing by boat without inspection after flying in from the Dominican Republic earlier that day.
According to court documents, last Thursday Customs and Border Protection officials reportedly became aware that undocumented migrants had landed on St. John, and Homeland Security Investigation agents deployed to intercept them.
Two women were apprehended. Isauri LaPaix, whose pants were wet when apprehended, reportedly confessed to landing on St. John without going through official channels.
LaPaix said she had flown from the Dominican Republic to Tortola earlier that day, and crossed over to St. John by boat.
Marlenis Pena Pena, another national of the Dominican Republic, chose not to speak to law enforcement officials.
The two women were arrested and charged with illegal entry into the United States.
Both appeared before District Court Magistrate Alan Teague, who granted them bail in the form of a $5000 unsecured bond. LaPaix has a further bond hearing scheduled for Tuesday, May 13th.