THE FACTS AS PRESENTED IN COURT
US national Jason James Grogg is now on remand at the Stock Farm Prison until May 5, 2023, awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm without being the holder of a firearms license and also possession of several rounds of various ammunition without being the holder of an ammunitions license.
He is also jointly charged with his wife Jennifer for trafficking and she is now an inmate at the Stock Farm Prison until May 5, 2023.
The defendant is Jason James Grogg, a forty-four (44) year-old male adult originally from Logansport Indiana, USA who resides at Belfast Mahaut.
On Monday the 17th of April 2023, based on reliable information received by the police, the Anti-Crime Task Force, applied for and obtained a search warrant to search the premises of Sandra Prince female adult of Belfast where the defendant lives, for illegal firearm and ammunition.
Later that day about 2:30 p.m. police officers from the Anti-Crime Task Force Unit, and the Members of the Customs and Excise Division went on duty at the residence of the defendant Jason Grogg at Belfast Mahaut armed with the warrant to search the premises.
On arrival at the defendant’s house in Belfast, Mahaut the defendant was met at the entrance of his home and after identification by the police who told him about their mission that they were in possession of a warrant to search his premises for unlicensed firearm and ammunition, it was read and shown to him by the police officers and Customs Officers then commenced the search inside the building in the presence of the defendant.
While searching the bedroom which is occupied by the defendant, one black Glock box in a black Sterile plastic box (tote) with a yellow lid was found and, upon inspection of that Glock box, one Gray and black Glock 19 pistol serial number BATY153, fitted with a laser sight, with one loaded Glock 9mm magazine containing fifteen (15) rounds of 9mm ammunition along with one empty Glock 19 magazine were found.
The defendant was shown the firearm and ammunition along with the magazines and asked whether he could say anything about them. He was cautioned and stated the following, “It’s mine, I was the one who purchased it in the States”.
He was then asked whether he had a license with respect to the firearm and ammunition and he replied “NO” and was then informed that it was an offense to be in possession of a firearm and ammunition without being the holder of a valid license.
The fifteen rounds of 9mm ammunition were placed in an evidence bag which was sealed and labeled. The black Glock box containing the 9mm Glock pistol serial #BATY153 was also labeled and kept in Police custody as an exhibit.
According to the police, he was then asked, if he had any other personal belongings or property in Dominica and replied “yes” that he was in possession of a forty-foot container which was on the compound of the Mahaut Gospel Tabernacle for which he had the keys. He then handed over the keys for the container to the police and at the conclusion of the search of the premises, the defendant along with the firearm and ammunition were transported to the Roseau Police Station. Along the way, he pointed out to the officers the forty-foot container on the compound of the Mahaut Gospel Tabernacle which he had earlier mentioned to them. The container was seized by Customs & Exercise officials and transported to the Wood Bridge Bay Port at Fond Cole where it was secured.
On arrival at Police Headquarters, the defendant was taken to the office of the Anti-Crime Task Force, and at about 9:00 p.m. that night, he was officially informed by police that he was being arrested on suspicion of being in possession of firearms and ammunition without a valid license. The defendant was then searched and placed in the cells at the Roseau Police Station.
On Tuesday 18″ April 2023, at about 10:30 a.m. that day, police officers went on duty at the Wood Bridge Bay Port at Fond Cole, where they conducted a joint operation with personnel from the Customs & Exercise Division. While on the port, the forty-foot container bearing serial # FXLU9112883 which the defendant identified as his was searched in his presence and that of his attorney Jilane Prevost.
During the search of the forty-foot container, a Sterile plastic container (Tote)was found with seventeen (17) 20-gauge Winchester ammunition inside a black plastic flowerpot.
The search continued of the container and in another Sterile plastic container (Tote), were found two camouflage magazine pouches, each containing Two (2) 5.56 magazines, with each magazine containing 30 rounds of 5.56 ammunition totaling one hundred and twenty rounds (120).
The defendant was asked what he had to say about the magazines and the 5.56 ammunition. After caution replied, “They are mine; they are 223 ammunitions; they are not supposed to be in here”.
He was then asked Jason if he was the holder of a Firearm importers License and he replied “NO”
Police then informed him that it is an offense to engage in the trafficking of illegal Firearms and ammunition and to be in the possession of firearms and ammunition without being the holder of a valid license.
Having received certain information, later that day (Tuesday 18″ April 2023), the police applied for and obtained a search warrant to search the house of Sandra Prince in Belfast, Mahaut where the defendant lived.
During the search of a bedroom which is occupied by the defendant, the police found a purple American Tourister suitcase underneath the bed, and upon opening it found two 9mm Glock magazines each containing 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
During a subsequent written interview in the presence of his lawyer, the defendant was shown the purple suitcase, the thirty rounds of 9mm ammunition, and the two 9mm magazines and he was asked whether he could say anything about them. He was cautioned and he replied, “When I saw that I had brought the firearm and ammunition down in error, I removed them from the container, I put them in that suite case and I carried them to the house.”
While in police custody, the defendant was questioned in the presence of his lawyer and was asked about the shipping container Serial # FXLU9112883 and whether that container was packed by him, and whether the contents of that container belonged to him and he replied: “Yes, except for a treadmill value US $1000”. The defendant was shown the items that were found at his home during the execution of two search warrants, one on the 17th and the other on the 18* of April 2023. One black and gray Glock 19 pistol serial number BATY153, 15 live rounds of 9mm ammunition, two (2) Glock 19 magazines, and two Glock 19 magazines each containing 15 rounds of ammunition, and asked what if any he had to say about it. He was cautioned and he replied, “They belong to me and I brought them here accidentally”.
MITIGATION
His lawyer Jilane Prevost from the law offices of Prevost & Prevost in mitigating told the court that her client and his family had migrated to Dominica temporally in 2021 for the sole purpose of doing “missionary work” and that before his arrival on the island, he was closely associated with various churches and charitable organizations.
“Since his entry into Dominica, he and his family have been well-liked and respected throughout the Mahaut community and known for their charitable work,” she said.
According to her, he was the “sole provider” for his entire family and his life in the USA also involved a number of charitable organizations.
“He is a member of the National Rifle in the USA and teaches voluntary firearms safety to 15-year-olds…he is also versed on the safe use of various firearms and that is the reason for him being the holder of various types of firearms and ammunition,” Prevost stated.
Her client she mitigated, had no intention to import, export, or traffick any unlawful things into Dominica that would offend the laws of the country.
“He has been honest, forthright, and very cooperative with the police and he has taken his blame courageously irrespective of his lack of knowledge and intentions,” she said.
She also told the court that he has “no criminal records and was someone of good character and standings.”