The Tribune

THIRTEEN men appeared in court yesterday to face drug charges.

All pleaded not guilty except for one man, who claimed the others had nothing to do with the incident.

They all appeared before Magistrate Carolita Bethell on three counts: conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply, possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, and vagrancy.

Alvin Dumont, 26, of St James Road pleaded guilty to all three charges.

The other defendants were: Stephen Stubbs, 37, of White Court, Ridgeland Park; Giovanni Cavan Roberts, 30, of Strachan's Alley off Kemp Road; Dominic Levanty, 40, of Armbrister Street, Fox Hill; Charles Davis, 20, of St Margaret Road; Navada Nairn, 34, of Commonwealth Boulevard; Gerald Davis, 26, of Samana Drive, Marathon Estates; Dwight Stuart, 22, of Lyon Road; Tavaris Miller, 27, of Kemp Road; Ricardo Davis, 26, of Dunmore Street; Shathron Darville, 19, of Eastwood; Anton James Bastian, 19, of Abraham Street; and Keno Whymms, 31, of Abraham Street.

Roberts is not accused of the third charge of vagrancy.

Police prosecutor Ercell Dorsette told the court that on April 9, 2012, officers arrived at a property with a search warrant and observed a group of men in the yard.

He said one man was seen removing something from the ground and moving it into a shack on the premises.

Officers retrieved the object, discovering it was a plastic bag filled with suspected marijuana and the men were taken into police custody, Insp Dorsette said.

Dumont originally told the police he knew nothing of the drugs but eventually told the court: "They're my drugs, these guys had nothing to do with it... I'm a smoker. I sell too, ma'am. These guys didn't know."

Magistrate Bethell asked Dumont if he was confessing to the second charge of possession with intent to sell, and he confirmed that he was.

She asked him if he knew the penalty was a minimum of four years in prison, because of the November 4, 2011 amendment to the law.

Dumont asked for a lighter sentence because of his clean criminal record. "It's my first time, could you be lenient with me?" he asked.

Magistrate Bethell explained to him that she could not because of the change in law. "The minimum this court can give is four years," she said. "I cannot give you any less."

Insp Dorsette told the court because of Dumont's confession to the second charge, he would withdraw the first charge of conspiracy to possess and the third charge of vagrancy.

Magistrate Bethell revealed she would not sentence Dumont to more than four years in prison, and asked him about his interests.

He said he is interested in pursuing any trade, but particularly carpentry, and she replied that as carpentry can be pursued at Her Majesty's Prison, she would inform prison officials of his interest.

Magistrate Bethell acquitted Dumont of counts one and three, found him guilty of count two, and sentenced him to four years.

The remaining 12 men were remanded until their next court appearance on Thursday, April 19.