The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

TWO Florida tourists were fined a combined $2,750 and ordered to pay $450 in compensation after a dispute over a slot machine at the Atlantis casino on Paradise Island ended in a struggle with police that left an officer with a sprained thumb.

Jose Colemanres Velasco, 41, and his fiancée, Yondry Carrero, 23, pleaded guilty before Senior Magistrate Kendra Kelly to several offences stemming from the October 18 incident.

Velasco faced six charges: causing harm, damage, resisting arrest, two counts of disorderly behaviour and obscene language. Carrero faced charges of assault, obstruction and disorderly behaviour.

According to the prosecution’s account, read by Sergeant Vernon Pyfrom, Atlantis security officer Clevon Carey called police about two guests arguing over another patron’s slot machine.

The court heard that Carrero had cashed a slot machine ticket belonging to another guest and was asked to return it. When security staff tried to deal with the matter, the couple became disorderly and used obscene language before eventually handing over the ticket.

Officers arrived and spoke with security before approaching the couple. The court heard that the pair refused instructions to leave the property, leading to a confrontation with police and security officers.

Velasco was eventually subdued and taken to the ground. While he was being escorted to a police vehicle, Carrero attacked an officer and was arrested.

Sergeant McQueen suffered a sprained left thumb and an injury to his left wrist and later sought medical treatment. His protective boots, valued at $150, were also damaged.

Both defendants were cautioned and interviewed before being charged. Velasco, who spoke English, and Carrero, who needed an interpreter, disputed parts of the prosecution’s account despite their guilty pleas.

Velasco said the couple had come to The Bahamas for a three-day visit and were staying at an Airbnb in New Providence. He said he was playing blackjack when a confrontation broke out between his fiancée and another woman over the slot machine.

He claimed the woman had left the machine unattended for about ten minutes before Carrero began using it, unaware that someone else had been playing there. He insisted his fiancée had no intention of stealing anything and that the situation escalated before he had a chance to explain.

Velasco also claimed he did not initially recognise the people confronting him as police officers and believed those involved had already formed a negative view of the couple.

Carrero denied attacking police, claiming casino employees had pushed her.

Senior Magistrate Kelly said neither defendant had been charged with stealing. She also pointed out that the officers had been in uniform, although the couple said they did not recognise them as police.

Velasco told the magistrate that he worked in the United States and feared losing his job because of the case. He also said he was worried about his dogs at home, which needed feeding.

Velasco was fined $1,000 for causing harm and ordered to pay $300 compensation to Sergeant McQueen, with four months in prison in default. He was fined $500 for damage and ordered to pay $150 compensation for the officer’s boots, again with four months in default.

For resisting arrest, he was fined $150 or three months in prison. Each disorderly behaviour charge carried a $25 fine or one month in prison, and he was fined $25 for obscene language, bringing his fines to $1,725, excluding compensation.

Carrero was fined $500 for assault and $500 for obstruction, with three months in prison in default of each, and $25 or one month for disorderly behaviour, bringing her fines to $1,025.

Senior Magistrate Kelly told the couple they could leave once the fines and compensation were paid. Velasco said they were already booked on a return flight to the United States departing at 7pm that evening.