Shaqwan Ackeem Oneal Greenidge has been fined $10 000, half of which he had to pay upfront, for having an illegal air pistol when he was a teenager.
The Whitehall, St Michael resident paid the $5 000 after Madam Justice Pamela Beckles sentenced him in the No. 5 Supreme Court on Tuesday.
He has to pay the remaining $5 000 on or before December 4 if he wants to avoid spending 1 358 days in jail.
Greenidge had pleaded guilty to the charge of having the weapon on April 3, 2014.
According to the facts read by State Counsel Tito Holder, police executed a search warrant at his residence on that day. When they arrived, Greenidge was asked to direct them to his bedroom, which he did. While searching his wardrobe, they found a bag.
“That is my bag,” he said when asked to account.
When that bag was opened, another bag containing the weapon, which was in good working condition, was found. Greenidge, who was 17 years old at the time, told police: “Darkman bring that here and ask me to keep it safe for he.”
After considering the facts of the case, Justice Beckles imposed a six-year starting sentence on the first-time offender who was represented by attorney-at-law Latisha Springer.
Given the mitigating factors – including Greenidge’s young age at the time of the offence, the fact that he had no prior convictions or any matters pending before the court, and the assessment that he was at low risk of reoffending – the judge deducted two years from that sentence. The convicted man was also given a discount for his guilty plea and credited for the 102 days he had spent on remand, leaving him with 1 358 days left to serve.
However, Justice Beckles then told Greenidge that a fine would be substituted for the custodial sentence but if it is not paid he would have to spend that time in jail.
The payment of the fine will come up for review by the judge on December 15.
