The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER senior police officer who once led the Police Staff Association was sentenced to six years in prison yesterday for smuggling $1.4m worth of cocaine and $34,000 worth of marijuana into Acklins in 2022.

Sonny Miller, 47, a former Assistant Superintendent of Police and the highest-ranking officer on the island at the time, was found guilty of eight drug-related charges before Deputy Chief Magistrate Shaka Serville.

On June 7, 2022, officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, working with the United States Coast Guard, seized 181lbs of cocaine and 31lbs of marijuana. Sergeant Leslie Wilson testified that he saw Miller removing packages from a plane that had arrived from Venezuela and landed in Acklins.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Roberto Goodman and Sergeant Wilson later identified the drugs at the police warehouse. Fifteen packages contained marijuana and 72 contained cocaine, based on testing. Both officers identified their signatures on the packages before they were admitted into evidence.

Miller was charged alongside two Colombian nationals, Christhian Gaviria Aragon, 33, and Christhian Garcia Aristizabal. The Colombians pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in 2023 and were sentenced to 60 months in prison, reduced by 14 months in exchange for their testimony against Miller.

In 2024, Aragon alleged that Miller threatened him with a gun after a US Coast Guard helicopter appeared during the operation. He testified that after landing in Acklins with a plane containing 400kg of cocaine and 15kg of marijuana, he handed over drugs to Miller and another officer who arrived in a marked police jeep. When the helicopter approached, Miller allegedly threw the drugs on the ground, cursed at him and waved a gun.

In imposing sentence, Magistrate Serville said Miller’s 29 years on the force were worthy of commendation but ruled that his position as the officer in charge of Acklins at the time was an aggravating factor. The court also acknowledged that Miller had no prior criminal record.

Family members wept and shouted outside the courthouse as Miller was escorted to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Prosecutor Shaneka Carey recommended a five-year sentence, noting that the maximum penalty was seven years. She said the arrests were made only after other officers arrived at the scene and urged the court to send a strong message of deterrence.

She described it as aggravating that the drugs were brought in from Venezuela and said Miller used his position as a cover to commit the offence, including the use of a marked police vehicle. Despite his community involvement and lack of prior convictions, she said the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating ones.

Prosecutor Terry Archer said Miller should be treated like any other Bahamian. While acknowledging concerns about prison conditions, he said Princess Margaret Hospital was equipped to handle chronic illnesses.

Defence attorney Bjorn Ferguson urged a two-year sentence, citing Miller’s diabetes and hypertension. He said his client had received insulin only twice while on remand, though four doses were recommended. He told the court that Miller appeared smaller since being remanded in January and had experienced ailments in custody.

Mr Ferguson called the prison “horrible” and said it was not fit for human habitation or rehabilitation. He cited recent comments by National Security Minister Wayne Munroe about overcrowding and said there was no running water at the facility. He argued that Miller had contributed to youth programmes, including Junior Achievers and community basketball with the Cybots, and had helped raise $100,000 in scholarships.

Mr Ferguson said Miller had no disciplinary record during his 29 years on the force and had received medals and commendations. He acknowledged that being the officer in charge was an aggravating factor but argued the mitigating factors outweighed it.

Magistrate Serville said there was no rubric to operate from on the defence’s submission that time at the prison was harsher than elsewhere. He said arguments about the state of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services could seek redress in a class action lawsuit.

Miller has seven days to appeal.