Three alleged exotic dancers from Dom Rep charged with work permit breaches
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Three women from the Dominican Republic and two Jamaican nightclub owners appeared in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday facing charges of working without a permit and aiding and abetting that offence.
Marsol Beaz Beaz, Yahaira Jimena Tejeda Sanchez and Naiomi Perez, of the Dominican Republic, appeared alongside Jamaicans Camoy Spence and Nicholas Ricketts before Parish Judge Diahann Bernard.
All five are represented by attorney-at-law Adrian Dayes.
The allegations stem from an operation conducted on August 3 by members of the St James Police Division and the Trafficking in Persons Unit at a nightclub on Barnett Street, Montego Bay, St James, following information about suspected human trafficking activities at the establishment.
According to the prosecution, the cops saw the three Dominican women with several Jamaican exotic dancers at the nightclub.
The women were interviewed and subsequently arrested and charged with working without a permit, while the nightclub owners were charged with aiding and abetting working without a permit.
During the hearing, Dayes told the court that his clients were lawfully in Jamaica and were not working at the time of the operation.
A translator from the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency assisted with the proceedings but Dayes told the court that the defence was still taking instructions and preferred to use its own translator rather than relying on the State.
The clerk of court clerk indicated that the three women have permission to remain in Jamaica until September 2 and indicated that the prosecution anticipates calling additional witnesses.
The clerk further indicated that the surety who previously secured bail for the three women advised that the arrangement only covered Wednesday’s court appearance.
Bernard subsequently granted the three women bail in the sum of $100,000 each, in their own surety, and ordered them to surrender their travel documents.
The matter was adjourned to September 2 for case management. Bail for Spence and Ricketts was extended.
