By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 38-year-old man who was found with $250,000 worth of marijuana was yesterday sentenced to three years in prison.
If he does not pay an accompanying $100,000 fine, he could risk spending an additional year behind bars.
Police arrested Hiram Rolle after they found over 200 pounds of Indian hemp at a Stapledon Gardens home where he was staying on September 22.
During their raid, officers also recovered ammunition from two different firearms.
The court was told that around 6am on the day in question, officers, acting on information, went to Rolle’s residence armed with a search warrant. When they arrived, they informed the accused that the residence would be searched and began their investigation. The prosecution said once they entered the home, police noticed an assortment of yellow, brown and clear packages with marijuana, along with four live 9mm bullets stashed in a suitcase and a rifle magazine with one 7.62 unfired cartridge hidden in Rolle’s closet.
When he was arrested, he told police his cousin told him to sleep at the house. During his interview with police, Rolle also said the drugs had been in the residence for two and a half weeks.
When he appeared before Magistrate Kara Turnquest-Deveaux yesterday, Rolle pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs with the intent to supply, conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs also with the intent to supply, possession of a component part of a firearm and two counts of illegal ammunition possession.
He was subsequently sentenced to three years at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and fined $100,000.
Meanwhile, a Jamaican man caught with over three pounds of marijuana must pay $5,000 to avoid spending nine months behind bars.
Police arrested Duwayne Tomlinson after they found the drugs in a car he was riding in on September 20.
The court was told that around 2.35pm that day, officers on mobile patrol near Zion Boulevard noticed a Nissan Cube travelling west at a high rate of speed. As a result, they beckoned the car to stop and informed its three occupants that they would be searched for dangerous drugs and firearms. The prosecution said when officers searched the car, they found two vacuum sealed packages with marijuana in a Super Value plastic bag that was resting on the backseat in “plain sight”. Tomlinson, who was found sitting next to the drugs, then told police that they belonged to him. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
During the hearing, the accused pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs with the intent to supply. He also insisted that he was “sorry for his actions.”
As a result, Magistrate Samuel McKinney convicted him of the offence and fined him $5,000 or nine months in prison.
In another matter, D’Arcy Ford was arrested after officers found two grams of Indian hemp on him on September 20.
He pleaded guilty to one count of simple possession and was fined $300 or two months in custody.
Denzel Bullard also appeared before Magistrate McKinney charged with marijuana possession and deceiving a public officer.
After he admitted to being found with 10 grams of Indian hemp on September 21, he told the magistrate that he only lied to officers because he was driving his brother’s car when he was stopped and searched by police. Bullard said the vehicle was licensed in his brother’s name and he was not carrying his ID at the time, so he decided to give them the wrong name.
He was subsequently fined $500 or three months in prison. Bullard was also bound over to keep the peace for one year. Magistrate McKinney warned him that if he failed, he could be fined $500 or risk spending three months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
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