A Justice of the Peace will on Might 5 sentence an American nationwide after he pleaded responsible to being in possession of a firearm in addition to a number of rounds of ammunition with out being the holder of the required licenses.
Jason James Grogg has been remanded on the Inventory Farm Jail. He’s additionally collectively charged along with his spouse, Jennifer, on a cost of trafficking.
She too, has been remanded to jail till Might 5.
The court docket heard that on April 17, the Anti-Crime Job Power obtained a search warrant to go looking the premises of Grogg, 44, initially from Logansport, Indiana, and now resident of Dominica.
Police in addition to members of the Customs and Excise Division searched the premises the place a Glock 19 pistol, fitted with a laser sight and one loaded Glock 9mm journal containing 15 rounds of ammunition had been discovered.
He was cautioned however advised the regulation enforcement officers that “it’s mine, I used to be the one who bought it within the States”.
In keeping with the police, the accused stated that he had in his possession the keys for a 40-foot container, located on the compound of a church, west of right here. The container was subsequently seized by Customs.
The court docket heard that the container was searched within the presence of the accused and his legal professional a plastic container containing 17, 20-gauge Winchester ammunition inside a black plastic flowerpot was discovered. The search additionally revealed 120 rounds of different ammunition.
The police additionally searched a home the place the accused resided and located two 9mm Glock magazines every containing 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Cautioned by the police within the presence of his legal professional, the US nationwide stated ammunition was his and that “I introduced them right here unintentionally”.
In mitigation, legal professional Jilane Prevost advised the court docket that her consumer and his household had migrated to Dominica temporally in 2021 for the only objective of doing “missionary work” and that earlier than his arrival on the island, he was intently related to varied church buildings and charitable organizations.
“Since his entry into Dominica, he and his household have been well-liked and revered all through the Mahaut neighborhood and recognized for his or her charitable work,” she stated, including that her consumer is the “sole supplier” for his total household.
“He’s a member of the Nationwide Rifle within the USA and teaches voluntary firearms security to 15-year-olds…he’s additionally versed on the secure use of assorted firearms and that’s for him being the holder of assorted sorts of firearms and ammunition,” Prevost stated, including that her consumer had no intention to import, export, or site visitors any illegal issues into Dominica.
“He has been sincere, forthright, and really cooperative with the police and he has taken his blame courageously regardless of his lack of expertise and intentions,” she stated, telling the court docket that he has “no felony data and was somebody of fine character and standings”.
CMC/