After experiencing months of turmoil, 19-year-old Sashana Evans walked free on Tuesday,  having had multiple fraud charges against her dropped in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Evans, along with three others, had been slapped with charges including conspiracy to defraud, obtaining money by false pretence, receiving stolen property, engaging in a transaction involving criminal property as well as unlawfully making data or devices available for the commission of an offence.

Of the four who were charged, Evans was the only one who pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentencing.

However, her attorney-at-law, Rodain Richardson argued that her guilty plea should be rejected, pointing out that the Crown lacked evidence of any intent by Evans to commit a crime.

According to Richardson, his client’s actions were as a result of misguided kindness towards a friend, which landed her into an unfortunate situation.

“From all indications, my client was caught up in an unfortunate situation of trying to innocently assist a friend that turned out to have been a big mistake as it nearly tarnish her future,” Richardson said.

The judge, agreeing that intent had not been proven, cautioned Evans to view this incident as a valuable life lesson.

All charges were subsequently dropped, allowing Evans to walk free.

Richardson was satisfied with the outcome and expressed gratitude to the judge for giving Evans the opportunity to move forward and pursue her professional ambitions.

The fraud charges stemmed from a car importation scheme. The other three who were charged with Evans are still before the court. They are Christopher Elliot, Amelia Edwards, and Crystal McKenzie. They will return to court on November 6 when the matter will again be mentioned.

It is alleged that one of the accused, Elliot, who is said to operate an online car mart, collected $600,000 to import vehicles on behalf of the complainants.

He allegedly promised that he could import motor vehicles and instructed persons to transfer funds to the bank accounts of his co-accused who handed over the monies to him.