By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to having an unlicensed gun in his home.
Travis Rigby, 24, and Cristal Cambridge, 29, were charged before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans with possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.
They were also charged with possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.
Police executed a search warrant on the defendants’ residence on Lancelot Drive on July 14. Officers found Rigby asleep on the couch and discovered a black Austria Glock .40 pistol in a bag. The weapon was found with a magazine containing 11 rounds of .40 ammunition. Police also confiscated ten grams of marijuana from the defendants’ residence.
In an interview with police, Rigby admitted to owning the gun, claiming he had it for his protection. However, he did not comment on owning the weapons.
While both accused
pleaded not guilty to the drug charge, Rigby alone pleaded guilty to the weapon charges.
Bail for the drug charge was set at $2,500 for the accused. The weapon charges against Cambridge were withdrawn.
Rigby’s attorney, Murrio Ducille, said his client had the gun because he had been robbed numerous times. He said his young client pleaded guilty immediately and had no antecedents before the court. He asked the magistrate to be merciful.
Although Magistrate Vogt-Evans considered Rigby’s early plea, she noted the proliferation of gun-related violence in the country.
She sentenced Rigby to two years in prison to deter such crimes.
Rigby was informed that he could appeal the sentence within seven days.
The drug trial is set for October 30.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.