A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison after pleading guilty to firearm, ammunition, and cannabis possession charges following a police raid in Liberta last month.
Jason Cedeno appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel in the All Saints Magistrates’ Court on October 7, where he was sentenced for possessing a Glock 48 Austina 9mm pistol, four rounds of ammunition, and two separate quantities of cannabis — 183 grams and 53 grams, respectively.
The court applied the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court’s Sentencing Guidelines, which call for a structured approach in determining the appropriate sentence for firearm-related offences. Under the guidelines, Cedeno’s case was categorised as “high” in terms of consequence since the firearm was present during the commission of other offences, namely the possession of cannabis.
The seriousness of the case was further elevated to “high” based on the fact that one round of ammunition was found chambered in the firearm, with the remaining three in the magazine, and that the firearm was associated with drug activity.
Cedeno’s sentence was adjusted downward by three months for mitigating factors, including his cooperation with the authorities during the search, and his good character.
The court took into account a family member’s testimonial and Cedeno’s explanation that he acquired the firearm for protection after a robbery earlier in the year. He did, however, fail to disclose the source of the firearm.
For possession of the firearm, he was sentenced to two years, 11 months, and 23 days. Additional sentences included six months for possession of ammunition, three months for possession of 183 grams of cannabis, and one month for possession of 53 grams of cannabis. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Magistrate Emanuel also ordered the confiscation of the firearm, ammunition, and cannabis. However, the cash found during the raid — EC $2,744.30, and US $649.00 — was returned to Cedeno, as it was not proven to be connected to criminal activity under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
The seven days Cedeno had spent on remand were also deducted from his sentence.