Anton Brumfield, the American man who was found at the airport with cocaine in photo albums last Friday, was yesterday sentenced to three years in jail after he admitted to attempting to smuggle the drug onto a flight out of the country.
Brumfield, 20, of Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of narcotics for trafficking and blamed “hard times” for his decision to make the attempt. “I was going through some hard times in the country and I have a girl who is three months pregnant. Once I got the job, I just took it because it was hard and I really wanted to make life better,” the unrepresented man told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in a city court.
According to the prosecution’s facts, Brumfield told law enforcers that he would have been paid US$10,000 on his arrival in America if he had successfully transported the cocaine.
Brumfield had 2.568 kilogrammes of cocaine in his possession when he was intercepted on April 24, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri
The man, who has been residing in Guyana for the past 11 years, was an outgoing passenger on a Caribbean Airline flight #2B402 destined for the JFK Airport, in New York.
According to police, ranks of the Narcotics Branch, who were performing duties at the CJIA, observed a bulky package in Brumfield’s luggage during a scan. He was contacted and the luggage was searched in his presence, leading to the discovery of two photo albums, where the drug was found.
