An American citizen who had two kilos of cocaine in his suitcase was yesterday sentenced to one year in prison.
Police arrested D’Neco Cleare, 31, and his wife, Teqiera Pratt, 29, at the Domestic Lounge at Lynden Pindling International Airport on September 20, after a security screener discovered the cocaine, valued at $40,000, hidden in a floral suitcase. The officers also found five-eighths of an ounce of marijuana stuffed inside a sock.
The couple was booked to travel on a Western Air flight to Abaco, the prosecutor, Inspector Timothy Bain, said.
Upon arrest, Cleare said, “Officer, that’s my bag. She had nothing to do with this; you don’t have to lock her up,” Bain told the court.
During his interview at the Drug Enforcement Unit, Cleare told the officers that he came across the cocaine while riding a jet ski on Paradise Island on September 18.
Cleare said that he had the marijuana to smoke.
At his arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, Cleare pleaded guilty to possession of dangerous drugs in relation to the marijuana. He also pleaded guilty to having cocaine with the intent to supply and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to supply.
By contrast, his wife denied the charges.
His lawyer, Wendawn Miller-Frazer, said the event promoter was remorseful. She said that he’d made a mistake and asked the court to show leniency.
McKinney sentenced Cleare to one year in prison for the cocaine. His family paid a $10,000 fine, so that he wouldn’t spend an additional year behind bars.
Cleare was fined $500 or three months for the marijuana.
Bain withdrew the charges against Cleare’s wife.
