A St Peter man has been fined $40 000 after admitting to trafficking almost eight kilogrammes of cocaine, following a sentencing hearing in the No. 3A Supreme Court.
Clifton Junior Warner of Baileys Road, The Whim, pleaded guilty last month to the possession and trafficking of 7.90kg of cocaine on April 4, 2023.
Justice Anthony Blackman considered the seriousness of the offence, the prevalence of such crimes in society, the evidence of planning, and the fact that the drug was wrapped for preservation as aggravating factors, while its recovery and the absence of violence were deemed mitigating.
Reaching a ten-year starting point for both offences, the judge deducted one year for Warner’s early guilty pleas, previously clean record, cooperation with police, and acceptance of responsibility. After a one-third discount and 513 days spent on remand were credited, he was left to serve 1 677 days in prison.
Saying that a fine would serve justice in this case, Justice Blackman ordered him to pay $10 000 immediately and the remaining $30 000 within four months for the trafficking offence. If he fails to pay, he will spend the alternative time in prison. Warner was reprimanded and discharged for the possession charge.
Principal State Counsel Joyann Catwell and State Counsel Treann Knight prosecuted, while defence attorney Shadia Simpson represented Warner.
The court heard that a friend of Warner’s had arranged for him to spend a night at another friend’s home. In the middle of the night, police arrived with a search warrant, and the homeowner directed them to Warner’s room, where officers found a haversack containing seven taped packages of cocaine and a copy of Warner’s birth certificate.
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