Drug ‘pawn’ to pay for trafficking

Jermaine Jamal Jackson has been fined
$55 000 for trafficking cannabis over 11 years ago.

He had pleaded guilty to the February 14, 2010 offence as well as possession before Supreme Court No. 4 over which Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell presides.

The High Court judge in handing down the sentence on the Sargeant’s Village, Christ Church resident on Tuesday, ordered that $15 000 of the fine be paid forthwith; $5 000 by October 31; $5 000 by November 29 and the balance by October 31, 2022.

The fine was imposed on the trafficking offence and he was convicted, reprimanded and discharged on the possession charge.

Failure to honour the fine will result in Jackson spending the remainder of a nine-year starting sentence at Dodds – four years, 187 days.

The alternative sentence was arrived at after the judge took into consideration the mitigating and aggravating factors of the offence and the offender as well as credited him for the 56 days he had spent on remand. A one third discount was also given for his guilty plea.

According to the facts previously disclosed, Jackson had driven the car in which the bagged drugs were transported to a location.

Police conducting an operation in the Brittons Hill area found him sitting on the side of the road and informed him about their investigations. He told the officers at the time “I was just doing a job” and took the police to where he had parked the vehicle.

In her ruling Justice Smith-Bowell said the facts showed that Jackson was merely “a pawn” who played “a very minor role” in the drug activity.

However, she stated that having knowledge of the drugs in the car; admitting to driving it and parking it so that the drugs could go to the intended recipient showed Jackson took an active part in the enterprise.

“It is the small roles that persons play that are sometimes key to the success of an operation,” the judge said as Jackson listened from the dock. He was represented by attorney-at-law Desmond Sands.