Teenage gunman must find $14 000 to avoid jail

Fines totalling $14 000 were imposed on 19-year-old Ranaldo Narico Roberts on Friday for having an illegal gun and ammunition.

Justice Randall Worrell passed judgement on the Factory Avenue, Wildey, St Michael resident who had pleaded guilty in the No. 2 Supreme Court to having a .380 auto calibre pistol and six rounds of ammunition in his possession on February 22, 2021.

He was initially sentenced to pay $20 000 for the possession of the illegal firearm and $8 000 for the ammunition, but after taking into consideration the mitigating and aggravating factors of his offence and of him as an offender, as well as the 422 days he had spent on remand at Dodds, the judge ordered Roberts to pay $10 000 in six months for the firearm and $4 000 forthwith for the ammunition.

If he fails to pay the amount he will spend 673 days in prison, which is the remainder of a six-year starting sentence.

Officers were on mobile patrol in the young man’s community when they saw him operating a motorcycle with a pillion rider. On seeing the police, the pillion rider consistently tapped Roberts’ shoulder which caused lawmen to become suspicious. Roberts stopped the bike and the pillion rider ran off. As police approached the teenager, he too tried to run but was apprehended. He was seen fidgeting with his pants and that led police to conduct a search, during which the firearm was found.

Roberts said he found the loaded gun “down by the Errol Barrow Park”.

He was represented by attorney-at-law Simon Clarke. Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis prosecuted the case.