By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
FIVE taxi drivers and watercraft operators were remanded to prison yesterday after being accused of soliciting patrons and supplying cocaine on Paradise Island.
Shanthron Sawyer, 24, appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney facing a charge of “soliciting persons for the purpose of selling drugs” in contravention of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
It is alleged that on April 6, while at Paradise Island, he solicited Jasmin Garcia and Lexlly Rivera for the purpose of selling drugs.
Garcia and Rivera are US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officials who were conducting a sting operation with local law enforcement at the time.
The watercraft operator denied the allegation when called on to answer to the charge.
A similar allegation was levied against a colleague, 30-year-old Aaron Curtis, who pleaded not guilty to soliciting Garcia and Rivera on the same date. He further denied being in possession of dangerous drugs and a third charge - supplying dangerous drugs - on the date in question.
Marcel Flowers, 50, Taurus Farrington, 43, and Brian Evans, 27 - all cab drivers - were also accused of soliciting Garcia and Rivera, as well as being in possession of and supplying cocaine.
They also denied committing any crimes.
They are set to appear before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes on May 2 for a fixture hearing where they will receive a date for trial.
They were remanded to the Department of Correctional Services in the interim. However, they have the right to apply for bail in the Supreme Court.
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