Jockey Kevin Krigger, one of the winningest jockeys to ever come out of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is facing criminal charges in Utah after police found more than a pound of marijuana and a handgun during a traffic stop in Carbon County on Friday, Sept. 12.
Krigger, 41, was driving a U-Haul cargo truck towing a car trailer when a Carbon County Sheriff's officer pulled him over after saying he noticed the rear trailer lights were not working.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, the officer said he smelled the odor of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle. Asked about the marijuana, the affidavit states, Krigger said there was some in the driver's side door compartment.
A search by the sheriff's officer and two Price City Police officers of both the cargo truck and Krigger's personal vehicle followed, with police discovering what they later reported was 476.52 grams of raw marijuana, just over one pound. They also reported finding a small jar with what appeared to be marijuana seeds.
Krigger, who police said was carrying approximately $8,000, said the marijuana was his and that he grew marijuana while living in Washington.
Police also found a handgun in a search of one of his bags in the back of the vehicle.
According to the affidavit, a dispatcher in the nearby city of Price, Utah, said Krigger's driver's license "was not valid" and both a medical marijuana card and concealed carry license for the handgun he allegedly claimed to have could not be found by dispatchers.
During the course of the arrest, the affidavit states, Krigger told police he was on probation in the U.S. Virgin Islands because of a previous firearms charge. Krigger is a native of St. Croix and is a U.S. citizen.
Krigger, who told police he was moving to New Mexico, is being held without bail. In Utah, the possession of a dangerous weapon charge is a third-degree felony, while the marijuana possession charge is a Class B misdemeanor, according to court records. As with all defendants in criminal cases, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
"The court finds substantial evidence to support the charge, and finds by clear and convincing evidence that Krigger Kevin would constitute a substantial danger to any other individual or to the community, or is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court if released on bail," District Court Judge Brian Boldinder wrote after Krigger's arrest.
Krigger has retained attorney Robert A. Oliver. He is scheduled to appear in Seventh District Court in Price today at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time (10:30 a.m. Atlantic Time).
In a career that began in 2001, Krigger has won 1,236 races from 8,611 mounts for total mount earnings of $23.6 million.
With 106 wins from 519 mounts and earnings of $1.4 million this year, it has been Krigger's most successful year since 2013, when he won the G1 Santa Anita Derby aboard "Goldencents" for trainer Doug O'Neill. He led the 2025 jockey standings at Washington's Emerald Downs with 70 wins from 304 starts.
More recently, Krigger rode "Floki's Flight" to the win in a $15,000 "winner-takes-all" match race against "Pure Speight" at St. Thomas' Clinton E. Phipps Sr. Race Track.
Floki's Flight, owned by Most Wanted Stables and trained by Rashawn Creque, ended Pure Speight's five-race win streak in the Sunday, Aug. 31, match race, the main event of that weekend's Labor Day Races card.
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