STORY IN LOCAL PAPER
sourceST. CROIX - The men who police said are responsible for the Jan. 5, armed robbery of Jamaican reggae artist Craig "Serani" Marsh, were advised of their rights in V.I. Superior Court on St. Croix on Friday morning.
Richard Motta, 50, of Little Hospital Street, Christiansted, and Gregory "DJ Avalanche" Hodge, 29, of Tutu High-rise, St. Thomas, remain in jail unable to post bail on charges of first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence and grand larceny.
Motta was arrested at 5 p.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas' King Airport as he attempted to leave the territory. Motta was detected by Customs and Enforcement Officers as a person with an outstanding warrant issued by Superior Court Judge Julio Brady.
Hodge, who works as a disc jockey at FM 105.1, was arrested shortly after he ended his shift at 10 a.m. Thursday.
A 14-count information has been filed charging both men with the crimes and with aiding and abetting each other in the crimes.
According to an affidavit filed in Superior Court by Police Detective Jeffrey Nesbitt, Marsh told police that he had just finished a performance in the Crucian Christmas Festival Village and was dropped off along with two other people by the promoter on the street outside the Best Western Hotel.
As they approached the room, Marsh said, two masked men pointed a gun at them and demanded their money and jewelry. The men took his King Link gold chain and pendant, valued at about $5,000, as well as two cellular phones.
Police said Marsh's companion, who is not named but is described as Marsh's manager in the affidavit, said the gunmen took a $5,000 chain from him and $9,700 in cash.
The third victim (now I wonder if that was the mystery woman in the letter sent to The Lime?)said that as they were dropped off and walked to the room, two men who she recognized as Hodge and Motta, walked past them in the opposite direction, and as they proceeded to the room they turned around just as Motta was pulling a mask over his face and then the two men proceeded to rob them.
She said that while robbing them, Motta threatened to murder Marsh but was discouraged by Hodge and the two left.
All three victims picked the two men out of a photo array produced by police.
Police said no one was injured in the robbery.
Police reported over the past weeks that hey were aggressively following up on leads and secured the warrants for the two men. They said more arrests may be pending.
Bail for Hodge and Motta was set at $135,000 each, and both remain jailed pending a bail hearing at 9 a.m. today.
Hodge has no known criminal record in the territory, but Motta has an extensive criminal history with more than 25 arrests during the last 30 years. He previously has been charged with crimes including assault, murder, robbery, gun possession, weapon possession, grand larceny, rape and vehicle tampering and trespassing.
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I also caught this video on YouTube making mention of this issue on local TV. As far as I can tell, the guy thinks it's much ado about nothing. Judge for yourself.
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