By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
TWO American tourists who were accused of making a false declaration to a US customs officer chose to forfeit over $11,000 when arraigned before a magistrate yesterday.
The Baltimore natives were also fined $500 each after officers found $400 worth of cannabis products among their belongings when they searched them.
Carissa Cartalemi, 34, and Michelle Christopher, 33, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt after they failed to declare $11,461 to a US border patrol agent at Lynden Pindling International Airport on March 13. The prosecution said the women were also found with 13 grams of loose marijuana, four THC waxes, two THC oils and a THC cream on the day of their arrest.
The court heard around 2.20pm that day, an officer on duty at LPIA was called to the US Customs pre-clearance area in reference to the defendants failing to declare a sum of cash in American currency. The prosecution said the officer was also informed the defendants had been found with a quantity of dangerous drugs. Upon his arrival, Cartalemi and Christopher were handed over to him and the drugs found in their possession were pointed out. The women were then arrested and transported to a police station. In an interview with police there, they declined to comment.
Yesterday, the women’s attorney told the magistrate her clients owned a health and wellness retail business in their home state. She explained that Cartalemi and Christopher were not aware that the products they used in their medications would land them in their current situation and insisted they were extremely remorseful and distressed about the circumstances they had found themselves in.
In response, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt told the women it was unfortunate their vacation had to end with them appearing before the court. Still, she said she had to send a clear message that people had to abide by the rules and regulations of the country. As a result, she fined Cartalemi and Christopher $500 each for simple possession and forfeited the $11,461 that they originally failed to declare to the crown.
Both women indicated they had made arrangements to return to Baltimore the same day.
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