Jamaican fugitive who ‘walked out’ of Kingston lock-up arraigned in US gun case

A Jamaican man who allegedly “walked out” of police custody in Kingston while awaiting extradition to St Lucia has now been arraigned in the United States on federal gun charges.

Orville Andrew Pernell, 32, otherwise called “Oneil Christopher Reid”, appeared before a US Magistrate Judge in Atlanta after being indicted on charges of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally in the United States.

Pernell, who is originally from St Mary, Jamaica, has been wanted in St Lucia since 2020 for the murder of Cleus Alfred.

US authorities say he first escaped custody in St Lucia while awaiting trial after reportedly cutting the steel bars of his jail cell.

He was later recaptured in Jamaica in July 2021, but escaped again while being held at the Kingston Central police lock-up pending extradition proceedings.

According to reports at the time, Pernell simply walked out of the facility, triggering disciplinary action against members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Federal investigators say Pernell later illegally entered the United States near San Ysidro, California, in December 2022 using the false identity “Oneil Christopher Reid”.

Authorities say he resurfaced in Georgia in July 2023 after deputies attempted to stop him for allegedly riding a motorcycle at 115 miles per hour.

Police say he tried to flee before being cornered in traffic. Investigators later discovered the motorcycle was stolen and allegedly found a stolen firearm in his jacket pocket.

US agents eventually tracked him down in Savannah, Georgia, where he was arrested during a joint operation involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

American officials described Pernell as an international fugitive who managed to evade law enforcement in multiple countries.

He remains in custody pending trial in the United States and is expected to be extradited to St Lucia afterwards to face murder charges.

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on X @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar, or on Whatsapp @ 876-550-2506.