By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 21-year-old man was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $5,500 on Friday after he was caught with an illegal firearm and ammunition earlier this month.
Dwayne Martin, 21, as well as Tray Marc, 18 and Javonte Rolle, 19, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt charged with firearm and ammunition possession.
According to the facts read by the prosecutor, a team of officers, acting on information, went to Martin’s Close off Carlton Road sometime around 10.50am on the day in question.
While there, officers observed three men sitting in a gold Toyota Corolla acting in a suspicious manner.
Because of their behaviour, police asked the men to exit the vehicle, which they did, and later searched the car.
While searching, officers found a black Smith and Wesson 40 mm loaded pistol lying on the floor of the car.
As a result, the men were arrested and taken into police custody.
During Friday’s hearing, Martin pleaded guilty to the firearm charges, while Marc and Rolle denied the offences.
As a result, the charges were dropped against the latter two, who were later discharged.
During a plea in mitigation, Martin’s attorney asked the magistrate to be lenient in her sentencing, noting his client’s youth and clean record prior to the firearm incident.
He also told the court that Martin was gainfully employed prior to his arrest and was extremely sorry for his actions.
In response, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt said while she commended Martin for owning up to the offence from the onset, she could not overlook the seriousness of the crime.
She told Martin that possessing an unlicenced firearm was simply “unacceptable” and further noted that too many people have lost their lives due to gun violence.
As a result, Martin was sentenced to one year each for the firearm and ammunition possession charges. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning at the same time.
He was also fined a total of $5,500 and warned that failure to pay the fines would result in an additional year behind bars.
After sentencing, Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt told the 21- year-old his conviction did not define his life and urged him to make better choices going forward.
“This experience is not going to define who you are. You are much better than this and… you could make a comeback because starting on a lifestyle of crime is not the way to go,” she said.
“Parliament has empowered me to give up to seven years. That’s what you were gambling with…seven years of your life but today I have given you a chance.”
Also appearing before court on similar offences was 18-year-old Keith Forbes, Jr.
The teenager is accused of possessing a silver and black 9mm Ruger pistol and ten live rounds of ammunition on February 2.
Police alleged they found the 18-year-old with a quantity of marijuana on the same day.
However, during Friday’s hearing, Forbes denied the offences.
His parents, who were both present in court, told the magistrate that Forbes was a high school senior and had a lot of potential.
“That’s my baby,” his father tearfully said.
However, he noted the teenager had a poor judgement in choosing friends and surrounded himself with bad company.
In response, the chief magistrate said she would remand Forbes to jail as opposed to prison to allow him time to self-reflect.
She also deferred bail to Monday.
“You have to catch yourself,” she said.
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