NASSAU – An American man with a chronic illness was on Friday freed on $10,000 cash bail as he awaits an appeal against his one-year prison sentence for gun and ammunition possession.
Ronald Moorehead Jr received the sentence after pleading guilty to the offenses at his arraignment before Senior Magistrate Ancella Evans on June 22.
The day before, security screeners at the Leonard Thompson International Airport in Marsh Harbour, Abaco called police after they found a .380-caliber pistol and five rounds of ammunition in his luggage.
As a result, police arrested and charged Moorehead, who was unrepresented at his arraignment.
His family retained Christina Galanos following the verdict, and she filed an urgent application for bail pending appeal because Moorehead has a severe case of type 1 diabetes.
Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecution’s Cordell Frazier did not object to Moorehead’s release after prison commissioner Doan Cleare swore an affidavit, saying the prison lacked the manpower and resources to deal with his condition, which requires around-the-clock monitoring.
Authorities allowed Moorehead to keep his cellphone because he uses it to operate his Omnipod insulin pump to adjust the dosages of medicine depending on his meal choice.
Because of Moorehead’s extraordinary situation, the court granted him bail on the condition that he returns for his appeal. Moorehead had to surrender his passport to the court; however, he can leave the jurisdiction.
If he fails to return, the $10,000 could be forfeited to the Crown.
