By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 41-year-old man who was charged with marijuana possession was conditionally discharged after he agreed to attend drug counselling classes.
Dion Tynes was arrested after officers found a half gram of hashish in his home on May 3.
He pleaded guilty to one count of possession during his hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes.
During his arraignment, prosecutors also charged the accused with two counts of dangerous drug possession with the intent to supply, after they alleged officers found two other packages, each containing 27 and 12 grams of marijuana in Tynes’ home that day.
He attempted to plead guilty to simple possession for those matters as well; however, the prosecution was not willing to reduce the charges.
As a result, a not guilty plea was entered for the offences.
The court was told that officers, acting on information, went to Tynes’ residence armed with a search warrant. Upon their arrival, they identified themselves and informed the accused that his home would be searched in reference to dangerous drugs and firearms. During their investigation, officers found the hashish.
In his plea in mitigation, Tynes’ attorney, Roberto Reckley, told the magistrate his client did not waste the court’s time and cooperated with officers from the onset of the investigation. He also insisted his client had the drugs for his personal use and noted that the hashish that was found was a “small amount of oil” Tynes had stored in a tiny Ziploc bag.
As a result, Magistrate Forbes granted Tynes a conditional discharge on the condition that he would attend drug counselling classes for six months. He also adjourned the case for the latter two charges for trial on November 8. Tynes was granted $1,000 bail in the interim for those offences.
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