Marlon Deterville, a 37-year-old national of St. Lucia, was this week ordered to pay the court $10,000 forthwith or serve three years in prison, for having 2,019 grams of marijuana with intent to supply.
Magistrate Zoila Ellis-Browne handed down the penalty at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, on Monday.
Deterville had pleaded not guilty when he initially appeared in court in January of this year, but changed his plea to guilty when he returned to court last Friday July 18. Sentencing was adjourned to Monday.
Deterville was arrested on January 20 of this year, during a joint operation by the local Coast Guard and the Rapid Response Unit (RRU).
The facts presented in the court revealed that the lawmen were on patrol of the North Leeward area, when they saw two men, including Deterville, standing on the Duvellet Beach. On recognizing the Coast Guard approaching, the men started to run, and the police gave chase.
During the chase, Deterville dropped a knapsack he was carrying. It was retrieved by the lawmen, and they found Deterville hiding in some bushes. He was brought back to where the knapsack was retrieved. It was searched, during which two taped packages were found, which when cut open revealed the marijuana.
Up to press time on Wednesday, his companion was not found.
Deterville who was not represented by a lawyer, had not paid the fine up to press time.