London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Jerrel Penn sentenced to 54 months for Possession of Counterfeit bills

Jerrel Penn sentenced to 54 months for Possession of Counterfeit bills

High Court Judge Richard G. Floyd has sentenced Jerrel Penn to a total of 54 months for being in possession of counterfeit US currency bills in 2017.

Penn was charged with three counts of Possession of Forged Notes, contrary to section 245 of the Criminal Code 1997 of the Virgin Islands.

He received an 18-month sentence on each count, bringing it to 54 months; however, Judge Floyd ordered that “Since each of these counts arises out of the same transaction, the sentence is to be served concurrently on each count. The total sentence is therefore 18 months.”

“This is a serious offence. In considering the principles of sentencing, I find the need for deterrence to be uppermost in this case. A significant custodial disposition is warranted, notwithstanding the mitigating factors, including a guilty plea being entered and the Defendant being a first offender. Counterfeit money can wreak havoc in a local economy. The greater the number of notes involved, the greater the potential for small businesses and individuals to be devastated. A message must be sent to those who would seek to benefit from such behaviour that it will not be tolerated and will be met with imprisonment,” the judge pointed out.

Penn entered guilty pleas to all three counts and was sentenced on March 19, 2021.

High Court Judge Richard G. Floyd has sentenced Jerrel Penn to a total of 54 months for being in possession of counterfeit US currency bills in 2017.


The Facts


As per the written judgment on the Eastern Caribbean Court’s website, on December 3, 2017, uniformed officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force were on mobile patrol in a marked police vehicle when they observed a motor car with heavily tinted glass travelling in the vicinity of the Willard Wheatley Primary School and the East End Police Station.

Officers signalled the vehicle to pull over to the roadside. The vehicle stopped, then reversed at a high rate of speed into the Greenland Road. The vehicle came to rest after colliding with a utility pole and impacting the bumper of the pursuing police vehicle.

The driver was instructed to exit the vehicle; however, because of the strong tint on the windows, police officers could not see the interior of the vehicle and had to strike the window with a police baton for the driver to exit, which he did.

Penn was arrested for reckless driving and placed in handcuffs. Upon being searched, he was found to have $853.00 on his person.

His vehicle was also searched, and a further $9,950.00 in United States Currency (USD) was found both on the right-front passenger seat and below it. When the police asked Penn about the money, he gave them a dollar figure and confirmed it was his. A probe revealed that Penn did not own the vehicle nor did he own a valid driver's license.

Meanwhile, the money was seized by the police and turned over to the Financial Crime Unit, as the notes were suspected to be counterfeit.

A selection of the seized notes was transmitted to the United States Department of Homeland Security for forensic examination and a report was later provided, confirming the notes to be counterfeit.

I did not know!


Court documents state that under caution, Penn, the Defendant, told police he did not know the money was counterfeit and that a man had given him the money to start a business.

He was then charged with three counts of Possession of Forged Notes in varying amounts on the same date based upon what appears to be the three different locations where the money was discovered.

The total amount of forged currency was $9,950.00 consisting of 52 $100 bills and 95 $50 bills; the balance of the money found was legal tender.

Attorneys Kael E. London and Patrice Hickson represented the Crown, and Attorney Israel R. Bruce represented the defendant.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×