Gun, drugs in baby crib

Shermarce Wilson, 37, and his common-law wife Shamette Calla, 29, stood before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay in the San Fernando courthouse. The charges read to Wilson and Calla alleged that on March 20, they had in their possession a firearm, a quantity of ammunition and 70 grammes of marijuana. Wilson and Calla entered guilty pleas.

Prosecutor Sgt Gordan Maharaj told the court that at about 4.40 am on March 20, police executed a search warrant at an apartment in the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) complex along the Naparima/Mayaro Road in Mon Repos. Officers of the K-9 Unit also formed part of the search.

Sgt Maharaj said police searched a bedroom and in an infant’s crib, they found the items.

The couple, he said are not holders of any firearm users licences. Gordan said a black plastic bag with 40 transparent packets containing marijuana was found in the crib. The exhibits were produced in court and examined by the magistrate.

Magistrate Dubay also heard that Wilson has three previous convictions for gambling, larceny and possession of marijuana.

Calla has no previous conviction.

The magistrate dismissed the matters against Calla. On the charge of possession of a gun, Wilson was fined $5,000 or in default of payment two years imprisonment with hard labour.

On the ammunition charge he was fined $2,000 or in default 12 months.

On the marijuana charge, he was fined $4,000 or in default, 12 months imprisonment.

Wilson was given 90 days to pay the $11,000 in fines.