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Man sentenced to two-years jail for having unlicenced gun

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN’S family erupted into tears yesterday after he was sentenced to two years in prison for admitting to having a loaded gun in his Acklins home last weekend.

Magistrate Lennox Coleby arraigned Simon Brice, 25, Ishmael McSweeney, 21, Demetria Mackey, 20, Ishkah McSweeney, 18, and Berdesha McSweeney, 23, on possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.

Brice was reportedly found with a grey & rusted Ruger P89 pistol and six rounds of 9mm ammunition at his residence in Lovely Bay Acklins on January 26.

Brice was the only defendant to plead guilty to the charge.

The charges against the remaining defendants, some of them his siblings, were withdrawn.

Roshar Brown, the defendant’s attorney, said Brice was not known to be a troublemaker. Mrs Brown said her client is an intelligent, handy young man who maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school. She said he is the eldest child, is well-spoken and works as a fisherman. She begged the magistrate for leniency.

Magistrate Coleby noted the defendant’s young age and that he is a father.

Ultimately, he sentenced Brice to 24 months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. He also ordered Brice to pay a fine of $5,000 to be paid on the 23rd month of his incarceration or risk an additional two years in prison.

During his remand, Brice could work in the mechanic shop and be enrolled in plumbing or electrical training.

Magistrate Coleby told the defendant to consider himself lucky for his lighter sentence and to take care of himself in prison.

Before being taken into remand, Brice tearfully embraced family members present in court.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lincoln McKenzie served as the prosecutor. 

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