Four remanded on gun charges; fifth admits cannabis offences

By Latrishka Thomas

latrishka.thomas@antiguaobserver.com

Four people were remanded to prison on Monday on firearm and ammunition charges, while a fifth person pleaded guilty to cannabis offences arising from the same police operation.

Kameco Elvin, 28, Tyricke John, 30, Kevorn Pennyfeather, 23, and Geovanie Francis, 33, all of Green Bay Hill, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court. The prosecution deferred the reading of the charges.

John, Elvin and Pennyfeather are jointly charged with unlawful possession of a firearm—one black Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver with a brown handle—and unlawful possession of five rounds of .38 Special ammunition without a firearm user’s licence.

John, Elvin, Pennyfeather and Francis are also jointly charged with unlawful possession of a black Diamondback DB9 9 mm pistol. They face two additional counts of unlawful possession of ammunition relating to six rounds and eight rounds of 9 mm ammunition, respectively, without a firearm user’s licence.

All the offences are alleged to have occurred at Green Bay Hill on 4 September.

The matter was adjourned until 23 September, and all four accused—including Elvin, who is six months pregnant—were remanded in custody.

In a separate matter linked to the operation, Shane Francis, 32, of Green Bay, and Ariel Carr, 43, of Potters, were jointly charged with unlawful possession of 317 grams of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

The pair appeared before Senior Magistrate Veronica Thomas. Francis pleaded guilty, while Carr pleaded not guilty. The charges against Carr were subsequently withdrawn.

Francis’s matter was adjourned until 11 September.