Local businessman Robert Sells and his defense Attorney Tresten Moore will head to court for preliminary motions before V.I. Superior Court Judge Brenda Hollar on Thursday, June 15, and unless a continuance is obtained, SellsÂ’ intimidation trial will begin on Monday, June 19.
Sells, owner of Close Reach Imports, pled not guilty to felony intimidation, disturbing the peace and aggravated assault and battery charges before Hollar in November 2005.
CitizenÂ’s Arrest
The businessman was arrested by citizenÂ’s arrest in June 2005 for assaulting a neighboring business owner, Esther Frett, in MeadaÂ’s Plaza.
The V.I. Police Department report on the June 3 incident states Sells “bumped” into Frett, “pushing her slightly, causing her to become off-balance.”
The original charges were filed as misdemeanors stemming from the altercation and Sells was released on bail.
The misdemeanor charges were dropped and two new felony intimidation charges, in addition to the aggravated assault and battery and disturbing the peace charges, were filed in October 2005.
Sells has not been named as a suspect in relation to any of the allegedly bias-motivated crimes that occurred on island last summer, but was the target of two arsons.
Following a heated meeting in Frank Powell Sr. Park on August 31, 2005, SellsÂ’ Jeep was set ablaze in front of his Cruz Bay retail store. The next evening, SellÂ’s shop was torched.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been investigating both suspected arsons and have not released any information.
