Almost three years after being charged with trafficking over five pounds of cocaine, Joy Jacqueline Caines was yesterday found guilty of the crime by city magistrate Dylon Bess.
The boutique owner was charged in April of 2017 along with another, Bernadette Evandey Warren, who was sentenced to spend three years behind bars.
The charge stated that on April 16th, 2017, at Lot 232 Luckhoo Street, Lodge Housing Scheme, Caines had 2.092 kilogrammes of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking. She had denied the charge.
Magistrate Bess, who was presiding over the trial, found Caines to be guilty at a hearing yesterday. However, he adjourned sentencing until March 27th, 2020 as he has ordered that a probation report be prepared for Caines.
Warren, who was sentenced to three years in 2017 after pleading guilty to a charge that on April 16th, 2017 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, she had 1.504 kilogrammes of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking, had told Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit officers that Caines was the person who gave her the illicit substance. As a result, Caines was arrested at her home, where an empty suitcase with false walls that contained cocaine was found.
A large amount of cash, including over $14.5 million, a large quantity of US dollars and other currencies, were found and seized, along with two vehicles.
