Man re-arrested on cocaine charge months after federal prison release

Roosevelt Dowling of Christiansted was arrested on October 14 and brought before a federal judge the following day to face fresh charges of possessing cocaine with intent to sell, just months after finishing a prison sentence for an identical offence.

Downing had previously completed a 78-month federal sentence imposed in September 2019 after admitting guilt to possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute. His original conviction also required him to serve five years under supervised release following his time behind bars.

On Wednesday afternoon, DEA investigators carrying a search warrant arrived at Dowling's residence. Inside the living room, beneath an end table, they located a black tube holding multiple sealed plastic bags filled with a white powdery material. Laboratory testing of one bag confirmed the presence of cocaine; the total weight of all bags came to 407 grams.

The kitchen search turned up items commonly associated with drug preparation: a scale, a microwave and several heat-resistant glass containers coated with white powder residue. Officers also found a blender holding plastic bags that tested positive for cocaine when examined in the field.

Agents discovered roughly 10 marijuana plants cultivated in the yard surrounding the property. They also seized a bag containing multiple smaller plastic bags with substances believed to be prescription drugs.

Dowling made his first court appearance on Thursday, October 15, before Chief Judge Robert Molloy in the District Court of the Virgin Islands. The court docket showed no further hearings scheduled at the time of reporting.

The arrest represents a rapid return to federal custody for Dowling. His 2019 conviction traced back to a January 2017 operation at his St. Croix residence and vehicle, when investigators recovered roughly 31 grams of crack cocaine, 759 grams of powder cocaine, 19 marijuana plants, two digital scales and $6,690 in cash. That earlier investigation involved both the DEA and the Virgin Islands Police Department.