The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MARINE, who pleaded guilty to firearm and drug related offences, was sent to prison for 15 months yesterday by a magistrate who told him that he should have known better.

Lloyd Carl Johnson, 24, reappeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes nearly a week after his initial arraignment on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition and possession of dangerous drugs concerning an arrest on July 2.

It was alleged that he was found with a silver and black coloured Millennium Taurus 9mm pistol and seven live rounds of ammunition for the weapon without having a licence or certificate to possess them. He was also alleged to have been found with a quantity of Indian hemp.

He pleaded guilty to all three offences at his July 5 arraignment.

His lawyers, Tai Pinder and Lillith Smith-Mackey, had asked the court to defer sentencing pending a psychiatric report, as Johnson allegedly had been previously treated at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

In yesterday's hearing, Deputy Chief Magistrate Forbes said he had received documentation verifying that Johnson had an incident in 2014 warranting his detention at the SRC.

Johnson's lawyer called Samuel Pinder, pastor of St John's Native Baptist church, as a character witness.

"I've known him all his life. Mr Johnson was dedicated as an infant to St John's Native Baptist Church. He was nurtured by the church, participated in the Boy's Brigade and his mother is a deaconess in the church.

"She makes every effort to be a godly example for her son," the minister said.

The witness also described Johnson as an "intelligent young man who was involved in youth ministries."

Ms Pinder, in her mitigation plea, said that based on the minister's testimony, "this seems out of character for Mr Johnson."

"We all make mistakes and although this is a grave one, he has accepted responsibility," the lawyer said.

"He was previously employed at the (Royal Bahamas) Defence Force and recently left his position without being discharged. He was experiencing problems on the job and refused to return to the job notwithstanding intervention by concerned personnel.

"He has not wasted the court's time and he's expressed to me that he regrets his actions. He's taken responsibility for the drugs and firearm. He has no previous convictions.

"We're asking the court to exercise some leniency as he is still young, redeemable and not a career criminal," the lawyer concluded.

In formally accepting Johnson's plea as unequivocal and formally convicting him of the three offences, the deputy chief magistrate acknowledged the character evidence and mitigation plea on Johnson's behalf.

"The court does note that he suffered some mental issue in 2014 although it is not clear whether that extended into 2017," the deputy chief magistrate added.

The judge expressed concern that young men were continuing to find themselves in possession of a handguns.

"Mr Johnson being a defence force officer, he is certainly trained in the use of a firearm and he ought to know better," the magistrate added.

Johnson was sentenced to 15 months at the Department of Correctional Services on both the possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition, which were ordered to run concurrently.

Concerning the drugs, he was fined $300.

Johnson still faces a charge of armed robbery concerning a separate matter.

That matter is scheduled to be transferred to the Supreme Court on July 31 through the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.