By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 20-year-old man who was found with a small quantity of marijuana earlier this week was fined $200 yesterday.
Ashton Wilson was arrested after officers discovered half a gram of marijuana in his car on April 5. Police said they were on mobile patrol when they saw a purple Nissan Note running the red traffic light. As a result, the car was stopped and occupants were ordered to leave the vehicle. Minutes later, police said they smelled a strong scent of marijuana emanating from the car.
While conducting a search, officers discovered a silver wrap with suspected marijuana located in one of the doors. This resulted in Wilson being arrested and taken to the nearest police station, where he admitted to the offence. He claimed the drugs were for his personal use.
Wilson’s attorney asked the court not to impose a custodial sentence, noting his client’s clean record and unemployment status. The attorney also went on to note the amount of drugs found, saying it was only a small quantity and that his client deserved a second chance.
“He’s remorseful,” the lawyer told the court.
When asked by the magistrate if he smoked marijuana often, the accused said he smoked the drug every day. In response, the magistrate told the accused that while he took into consideration his early guilty plea, he also believed that some form of punishment needed to be handed down to deter him reoffending.
As a result, Wilson was fined $200. He was told that once the fine was paid, he would be granted an absolute discharge.
Also appearing in court for a similar offence was 28-year-old Dario Jones. Police arrested Jones after they found one gram of marijuana hidden in his car on April 3.
During yesterday’s hearing, Jones pleaded guilty to the offence. His attorney argued that his client had no previous convictions and was currently not employed.
However, he admitted that Jones was a regular drug user and had been smoking for five years. Asked by the magistrate where he found the money to buy the drugs, the accused told the court that his aunt would sometimes pay him to run her errands.
In response, the magistrate fined him $500. Jones was also told that once the fine was paid, he would be granted an absolute discharge.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.