Nassau, BAHAMAS-A man caught with a loaded 9mm pistol during a nationwide curfew has been jailed for nine months and fined $6,000.
Everette Johnson, of Pinewood Gardens, will now miss the birth of his second child because he bought an illegal gun for protection.
Police arrested Johnson, 34, at Rupert Dean Lane on April 1 after they found a gun on the floor of his vehicle.
During an interview with police, Johnson said he bought the gun for protection after he was robbed.
He pleaded guilty to charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition at his arraignment before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt on April 3. He also admitted to violation of curfew.
Plea for mercy for soon-to-be father
As his pregnant wife wept, defense lawyer Allan Emmanuel asked the court to show mercy on the first-time offender.
Johnson, according to Emmanuel, is the primary breadwinner for his family.
Up to his arrest, Johnson lead a productive life and supported his family as a self-employed welder.
He had no convictions or pending court cases, Emmanuel said.
Emmanuel asked the court to give Johnson a second chance.
Prosecutor Samantha Miah, however, submitted that a prison sentence and a fine were appropriate.
Sentence deterrent to others
In her sentencing remarks, Ferguson-Pratt remarked on the high number of gun-related crimes in the country. However, she gave Johnson credit for his early guilty plea.
Ferguson-Pratt said by imposing a prison sentence she hoped to deter other potential offenders.
Johnson’s sentence will be extended by 12 months, if he doesn’t pay the $6,000 fine before he completes his sentence.
The court did not sentence Johnson for the curfew violation.
The curfew confines residents to their homes unless shopping for essentials. The purpose of the curfew is to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
As of April 3, three of the 24 people diagnosed with the virus had died. Worldwide there were more than one million cases, with over 58,000 deaths.
