‘I was doing a favour’: Mother, daughter guilty of ‘intent to supply’ drugs
Fifty-three-year-old Emerald Gumbs and her 21 year-old-daughter, Chenelle Castello. (Facebook photos)
An unemployed Johnson’s Ghut mother and her daughter, who were caught with nearly 300 grams of cannabis, were fined after they pleaded guilty before Magistrate Shawn Innocent on Wednesday.
Charged with possession of a controlled drug and possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply are 53-year-old Emerald Gumbs and her 21 year-old-daughter, Chenelle Castello.
Gumbs was fined $2,500 for having 124.6 grams of the drugs and Castello was fined $3,000 for having 165.1 grams.
They have three months to pay the fines or, in default, they will spend three months at Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut.
In handing down the sentence, Magistrate Innocent told the duo that the only mitigating factor that in their case was an early guilty plea.
He said he believed mother-daughter covering up for the real drug dealers.
What happened
On August 24 this year, police executed a search warrant at the duo’s residence for an unrelated matter but discovered the drugs.
The 124.6 grams were found in a brown paper bag in the living room. Gumbs subsequently told police: “It’s mine, someone gave me this to hold for them”.
A further search of the house revealed a blue travelling bag containing 165.1 grams of cannabis, an unspecified number of ziplock bags, two rolls of tape, a scale, and an unknown number of dime bags.
Police also recovered $778 cash.
When asked who the items belonged to, Castello said, “They aren’t mine, somebody gave it to me to hold for them.”
When questioned in a subsequent police interview, they both denied knowledge of the illegal drugs. They were formally charged.
During their court appearance, Gumbs told the court, “I was doing it as a favour. It was a big mistake.”
They were not represented.
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Lock dem ass up!
@Parent, They need to legalized the weed. Stop harassing people for a herb.
herbs save lives not just marijuana. legalize it
@ parent you are such a fool y u dont go lock ur own ass**
Be merciful.
They look so innocent
She look good. Not my type…
When the judiciary applies similar sentences with decisive precision to those committing white collarred crimes such as money laundering, governmental contractual kickbacks,thefts of estates, real and otherwise by crooked barristers and others; then I’d say the sentence is justified.
Until such justice is applicable across the board, LET THEM GO!!
Son — somebody mother daughter drug
I SAW THE DAUGHTER AT ***** WORKING I KNOW SHAE IS A GIRL IS WORKING TO PAID FOR HER FINE I HOPE SHE CAN CHANGE HER LIFESTYLE.
wait this is the mother of the — that — Jerry Castro, now I now why that —- is what — is.
now u know what? you don’t know a d**n thing just mind Your F***ing business and dont worry about ntn a**!!!
If is one thing! people does find your Facebook pictures to blast yo Rass on the News Meshon! wellsah
So they will not be given jail time. BVI STUPID!!!
First, everyone on Tortola knows everyone. Girlzzzz,you all knew what was good and what was up. Names and Faces change but the game remains the same.
Legalize the weed but make sure all prestigious busines reputations are maintained by opting not to higher drug users. Nobody workin in my business while “lifted”.
U a clown. Prestigious lol u can’t even spell hire ***.
Ha! They in your bussiness all now
There are so much more serious crimes going on in the BVI and you are focusing on some weed REALLY.What about all those people who are are MURDERED? Don’t you all think that that is more important than a little weed cha man
Country in a mess an ayo worry bout lil weed that should be legal anyway
…the pretty b**** who always comes back and bites you. Hmmmmm.
Its the same DAM weed that cause the death of people.
No one dies from weed but obviously you already overdosed on four marijuanas.
Fact, herb is safe. money has been spent trying to find something wrong with it, instead all they find are benifits.
Benifits the high ups don’t want to admit.
yea lets keep or black brothers and sister down for what white people are gonna now make money from we just gonna stay a dumb race of fools for letting a racist law on a plant bring our people down