Donastorg To Plead In Domestic Violence Case March 11
Judge upholds probable cause despite accuser's request to recant, reports of $150,000 bribe
Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg
New details in the domestic violence allegations against Sen. Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg emerged in a hearing Friday before St. Thomas Magistrate Judge Alan Smith, who advised the Senator of his rights and set an arraignment date of March 11 for the Senator to enter a plea on the formal charges.
Donastorg, who turned himself into authorities on St. Croix on Thursday, is charged with aggravated assault, third degree assault, brandishing a deadly weapon and using a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime of violence. The charges stem from an alleged incident on January 28 between Donastorg and an unidentified 19-year-old woman.
Defense attorney Gordon Rhea said the accuser, who Rhea and the police agree has attempted to recant her story about the incident, was bribed with $150,000 to make the allegations and that the Senator’s defense rests on that claim. On Thursday, St. Croix Attorney Lee Rohn, who accompanied Donastorg when he turned himself in to authorities, stated that tapes and text messages exist in which the accuser admits the charges are false and reveals she was offered money to make them.
The incident has generated intense public debate on whether there is any merit to the allegations or whether this incident is politically motivated by those who were opposed to Donastorg’s burgeoning campaign for governor in the upcoming election.
Details were read from the Virgin Island Police Department’s Probable Cause sheet by VIPD Sergeant Deborah Jack, Lead Investigator. It summarized the alleged incident on January 28 as reported by the accuser, who stated that she had been in a relationship with the senator since last summer; that she arrived at his home on Jan. 28 intending to stay with him and was ordered at gunpoint to leave Donastorg’s property; and that he threatened to shoot her and a woman who accompanied her if they did not leave.
The woman further stated, according to the report, that Donastorg later offered to drive her to her mother’s home; that during the ride she questioned him about his treatment of her knowing that he had recently aborted his child; and that upon arrival at her destination, when she refused to get out of his car, he began “strangling” her and forcibly removed her from the vehicle, resulting in injuries.
Jack said that the accuser notified police that she wanted to withdraw the complaint and change her original statements, but that the accuser never followed through by formally withdrawing the complaint through the Attorney General’s office.
After he was notified of the complaint on March 1, Jack said, Donastorg contacted police twice, once stating that the woman had refused to leave his St. Croix residence and later calling to report that the woman had revealed to him the Facebook identity of the individual who offered the $150,000 bribe. Facebook is an internet social networking site.
Rhea asked the court to reconsider the probable cause finding because the accuser has changed her story several times since filing the complaint. Smith said questions of the accuser’s credibility will be addressed during court proceedings, and let the finding stand.
If convicted on all charges, Donastorg faces a minimum sentence of eight years.
Crucians In Focus has little if any impact on V.I politcs and Senator Donastorg is in big, big trouble. There’s a young lady who’s life was abused and threatened by a long time elected official and what we’re seeing here on this website are excuses for irrational behavior and poor judgement. We’re getting what we asked for. Good Bye.
It is a shame that despite all the facts about this case, there are some folks who still would defend such a despicable act. Is it okay for a 47-year old man to prey on a teenager? Is this the low est in morality we can get?
@ omg
Get real. This is no victim. This woman got paid. Save the oh poor abused song for some woman who deserves it.
The “victim” has recanted repeatedly and but for the relentless need of the henchmen to see damage done to Donastorg, this would never have happened.
Open your eyes and save the sympathy.
Website administrator, what happened to my last comment: is it still being moderated or has it been deleted?
@ Eyes Wide Open,
Your comment was not deleted. Sorry for the delay in moderating. A couple of words hit the filter. All is well. Thank you.
What is a married 47 year old man with 6 children doing with a 19 year old girl (actually I know what he was doing?). There is only one word for this person SCUM.
There surely must be someway of having this clown impeached, and spare me the innocent until proven gilty lines. This guy is a disgrace, no matter what his politics may be.
WHO IS A BIGGER DISGRACE THAN DEWOLF.DEWOLF SHOULD OF BEEN IMPEACHED A LONG TIME AGO.HE THROWS STONES,AND THEN HIDES FOR COVER.HE SETS UP DONARSTORG,AND THEN SUDDENLY HE’S ON A CRUISE.HE’S NOTHING BUT A BIG COWARD.HE MUST BE THE SCUM YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT ROGER MORGAN.
Donastorg has never broken the public trust or abused his power to steal from the people.
I mean could the story get any worse? Gun charges? ABusing a young woman? A man that is never in trouble in his life is suddenly cast as a total thug. Anyone of us could get set up. Think about it.
Eat that – what are you talking about, are you saying its ok for 47 yr old married men with 6 children to have affairs with 19 yr old girls? Do you have any morals?
Frankly, many if not all of you know these accusations are hog-wash. Here you have a man that kept his nose clean from any unethical scandalous issues and you mean to say that at a time when he is very much aware of the hatred towards him by Dewolf and his dewolflings that this senator would let his guard down. NONESENSE!! Donastorg knows very well that if he mashed an ant willfully, this crazy gangster like administration would take him to the cleaners. And now the senator is challenging Dewolf for the governors sit, he would make a stupid blunder like this, not the case. We already know it is a setup whether you believe it or not. The truth will come forth. Remember, the feds are now involved in this. For crying out loud, the local AG’s Office cannot and will not be fair in any case which involves Donastorg. We all know this to be the truth. Time is longer than twine…just waite, this ganster of an administration has become deparate and sure enough, they have resort to taking desperate messures. They are scrambling and will be even more so as we get closer to the primary election.
If you believe it was a set-up, you would have to believe the entire Justice Department and the the police are all corrupted. Is the judge also part of the alleged conspiracy? How powerful do you think deGreat is? How can a governor be that influential? Think, dummies. The predator is conning. Do you want such a creature to be head of the Executive branch when he was too inept to be the Senate President? Which head is making these stupid decisions?
Ask for an IG Report. The IG was bias when it concluded public funds were used improperly.
I wouldn’t put my head on a block claiming that Senator Foncie is squeaky clean. Ask the territorial court marshal he pulled a gun on over a woman they were sharing years back. Ask a former Senate President how he accused a legislative employee of taking $2500.00 in cash from of all places, in a Legislature vehicle, when he was in hustle mode. A lot of things are going to come to light in the near future. Watch.
JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL!!!!!!!
Whether or not Donastorg is guilty as charged will soon come out in the open. In all of this my heart goes out to his wife. Only God knows what this lady is going through and perhaps what she has been going through over the years. My prayers are with her.
Isn’t the Dewolf administration guilty of accepting money from a convicted pedophile? Which is worst?
Please Foncie has never been a political threat to Kenneth Map or John deJongh! Be for real did he abuse this young lady and is she afraid of him like the others.
Isn’t it amazing that this teenager could have thought that she could move in with him? Is it obvious that she was used to visiting his home? People say a good prayer for his wife and children. PLEASE!
Dejongh and company sit on some ice
The stage is set and the die is cast.
The political pundits line the battlefield secretly and deeply hoping future reality will manifest and shape itself to their pronouncements as to what will, or will not be, and is to become.
All the while soul-less party sell-outs scurry about like frothing rats in the muddy chaos desperately searching to follow the sound of their master’s footsteps. Each unable to rid themselves of the fear they carry in their hearts that maybe, just maybe, there is no future for them in the event they have been loyal to the wrong side.
So the Titans ready themselves for war under dark skies. VERY dark skies.
With dread and anticipation, all predicting this will be the most brutal and vicious election year in history. Things will never be the same.
Now the time has come. They war before declaration of war. Power and control wagered and pledged as the ultimate objective.
When all us said and done, history will show once again one side will emerge as victor and the other the vanquished. More than ever at any and every cost.
God help the vanquished. God help the victor.
God help the innocent caught in between.
Whom do you sell your soul to? And what human form will you serve then as lord and master?
Beware.