Yorks man slapped with $17K fine for gun and bullets

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Rashaan Brookes
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By Latrishka Thomas

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A Yorks resident now owes the state a whopping $17,000 for possessing a firearm and 12 rounds of ammunition without the requisite license.

Over the weekend, police arrested and jointly charged 33-year-old Rashaan Brookes of Yorks, and 36-year-old Keishan Hughes of Bendals, for possession of one Taurus 9mm pistol and possession of 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

But when the men appeared in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court yesterday, only one admitted to the crime – Brookes pleaded guilty while Hughes pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution chose to accept the pleas and offer no evidence against Hughes.

While Hughes walked free, Brookes suffered a totally different fate; he was slapped with a hefty fine.

According to the facts of the case, the police executed a search warrant at Brookes’ home after receiving certain information.

While searching in a bedroom, they found a green sock with a firearm inside.

Brookes immediately admitted that it was his.

The firearm was examined back at the station and was identified as a Taurus 9mm pistol with a magazine containing 12 matching rounds.

Lawyer Michael Archibald indicated to the court that his client owns a car rental company which was previously broken into and cash and valuables stolen.

He said Brookes reported the matter to the police and provided them with camera footage, but nothing came of it.

“He indicated to the police that he felt threatened and unsafe,” the attorney added.

As a result, the defendant obtained a gun but never applied for a firearm licence.

“It was not there for any sinister purpose. He is just a young businessman trying to protect his business and family who, however, went about it the wrong way,” Archibald continued in his appeal for a non-custodial sentence.

But noting that Brookes did not have the gun secured safely, nor had he applied for a firearm license, Magistrate Conliffe Clarke fined him $12,000 for the firearm and $5,000 for the ammunition.

The Yorks resident offered to pay $6,500 forthwith towards both fines and was ordered to pay the rest by the end of July.

If he does not pay on time, he will spend 10 months in jail on the firearm charge and six months for the bullets, but the sentences would run concurrently.

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