While one man from Montin Grand Bay did not get a “custodial sentence” for drug trafficking, another was not so lucky in the “Operations Mortin” mounted by the police in that community on August 20, 2022, and will spend four years in jail.
Richie Mendez Alexander was arrested and charged for trafficking of 2, 159 grams of cannabis, possession of a.380 Special Revolver, possession of 14 rounds of .380 ammunition, and possession of 37 rounds of 357 magnum ammunition without being the holder of a firearms and ammunitions license.
He pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Brief Facts
On August 20, 2022, the police acting on reliable information and armed with a search warrant went to his home at about 5:30 am and after knocking on his door and informing him of the warrant which was read and showed to him proceeded to search his house.
During the search, a black .380 Special Revolver with six rounds of live ammunition was found along with a quantity of alleged cannabis. Asked if he was the holder of a firearm and ammunition license he replied “no.” He also stated that the drugs found belonged to him.
The search continued and proceeded to a shed in the yard where a multi-colored tin was found 37 live rounds of 357 magnum ammunition and 4 spent shells. He was arrested and the drugs which were weighed in his presence amounted to 2,159 grams with a street value of $4,755.00.
Mitigation
His lawyer Gina Abraham Thomas told the court that her client who is 34 years old is a farmer by profession and along with his father has a stock of live cattle. “He is a very productive member of the community and is a former member of the Grand Bay Village Council, he has lots of potentials we ask the court to temper justice with mercy,” she said.
She told the court that according to her instructions, Alexander who also resides with his mom had the firearm to protect his mom who he felt was under threat.
According to her while she agrees that the court must be concerned about drugs and illegal firearms, it should treat each case “separately”. “He is fully remorseful and has fully cooperated with the police, he also did not waste the court’s time and pleaded guilty,” she said.
The firearm she told the court was not used in the commissioning of “any crime”. She begged the court not to impose a custodial sentence on her client but instead give him a fine and a “suspended sentence.”
Sentencing
In handing down her sentence, Chief Magistrate Candia Carette George stated that while defense lawyer Abraham-Thomas was asking the court not to impose a custodial sentence on her client, she would have thought that he had learned his lessons since he was fined $25,000.00 in 2017 for possession with intent to supply cannabis.
“I must bear in mind the outcry in society about the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and also drugs, you cannot take the law into your hands, if you have a problem go to the police,” she said.
For the charge of drug trafficking, he was jailed for 2 years, possession of a firearm without a license jailed for 4 years, possession of 14 rounds of .380 ammunition without a license, he got no separate penalty, and possession of 37 rounds of 357 magnum ammunition without a license, he was jailed for 4 years. The sentences are to run concurrently.