Virgin Islands officials exonerate accused officer

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands – Justice officials in the U.S. Virgin Islands have exonerated a police officer accused of destruction of evidence, extortion and embezzlement.

Deputy Attorney General Bruce Marshack announced Sunday that the policeman's recent arrest on evidence-tampering allegations was a regrettable mistake. He said all charges against Officer Anderson Poleon have been dismissed.

Poleon was arrested Wednesday on the island of St. Croix and had faced the possibility of 30 years in prison on all the criminal charges.

But justice officials say they recently discovered a document that has cleared Poleon of any wrongdoing. They did not disclose more details.

A lawyer for the exonerated officer claims his client was the victim of a vendetta by St. Croix police Chief Christopher Howell.

Howell did not immediately return calls Sunday.