A correctional officer who was caught smuggling three pounds of ganja into the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in his pants waist was on Monday sentenced to three years in prison when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

George Brown, a 31-year-old resident of Waltham Park Road in Kingston, was also fined $14,400 for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act. If the fine is not paid, he will serve an additional six months in prison.

Brown, who had previously pleaded guilty, was sentenced by Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey to serve one year for breaches of the Correctional Service Act, and two years for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

He was also ordered to pay $4,800 for possession of ganja or serve six months and $9,600 for dealing in ganja or serve six months.

Pusey, however, ruled that if the fines are not paid the sentences are to run concurrent but consecutive to the three-year sentence.

Brown was found with two parcels of ganja in his possession at the institution last August after another officer observed him entering the facility with a bulge at his waist. He was taken to the personnel office, where he was searched by an assistant superintendent.

The court also heard that when Brown was asked what was in the package before the search, he answered, “ganja, Supa”.

Brown’s motor car was also searched and an additional six parcels of ganja were recovered, the court was further told.

The ganja weighed three pounds in total. But Brown had challenged the weight of the ganja that was on the forensic certificate claiming that it was only half pound. He, however, admitted that he had not weighed

the drugs.

— Tanesha Mundle