$1M Drug Case: Woman Given 8 Years
[Updated] A 28-year-old woman was today [Dec.15] sentenced to 8 years in prison for conspiring to import over $1 million worth of cannabis into Bermuda.
Michelle Latoya Gibbons, 28, had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiring with persons in Bermuda and elsewhere to import $1.1 million of cannabis between a date unknown and October 21, 2010. American officials discovered the cannabis concealed in her suitcases at Newark Airport in New Jersey in October 2010.
Ms Gibbon’s lawyer asked the Court to consider her two young children, saying she was their sole means of support. Her lawyer also said she was liable to suffer severe depression and would need psychiatric care if incarcerated.
Justice Carlyle Greaves meted out an eight year prison sentence to 28 year-old mother of two, Michelle Latoya Gibbons for her part in a conspiracy to import $1.115 million worth of illegal drugs.
After hearing the DPP’s recommendation of a sentence between eight and ten years, Ms Gibbon’s defence lawyer Ken Savoury asked for a sentence between 3 and 6 years.
Justice Greaves said he was minded to sentence Ms Gibbons to 12 years, but that he would discount the sentence by 25 percent to 9 years and would also give a further discount of one year.
He reasoned that Ms Gibbons had pleaded guilty, had been fully cooperative with the police, has exceptional circumstances, and that she had no prior convictions for drug offences.
What appeared to friends and/or family members of Ms Gibbons could be heard crying loudly after the sentence was passed down.
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Wow, truly unbelievable. Attempted murder gets 10 years and importing cannabis gets 8. No wonder the world is so f…ed up. The Judicial system and government have priorities all wrong. Cannabis never killed anybody but give the person a sentence similar to someone who tried killing someone? If you don’t find this messed up, then you are not using your brain.
I agree with you 100%, however the law is the law. I would suggest however istead of ranting online, join the political process and make your views known.
The Political Process is a joke …along with most politicians!
Hey Latoya….got a splif for me….NOT!!!!! Maybe while you’re in jail you might learn something about manners and maybe a trade.
What a big fat joke. Ha ha! The people in Bermuda have no power, government does whatever they want, not what the people want. Because only they know best what is best for Bermuda. haha
@My two cents
Consider for a moment that sale of illegal drugs finances the criminal organisations that encourage, facilitate, and support the murders and attempted murders on this Island. A murderer has a long term effect on two families; the victims and their own. A successful drug smuggler has a long term effect on countless families; both relations of the customer and innocents affected by activity of the illegal drug trade (murder, attempted murder, assault, harassment, theft, and so on). Not to mention the strain on social services’ expenditure as a result of the impacts on the customer’s family and themselves.
These shootings, attempted murders, and murders are a direct result of the illegal drug trade and this woman is directly facilitating and supporting that activity by ensuring these criminal organisations are properly financed to continue their activity within our community.
I don’t find her sentence messed up. I believe justice has been served.
Ride
I am comparing attempted murder with importation of a drug that can not kill you.
They basically got the same sentence with 2yrs. difference and you think that is okay? Well, that’s fine, I will stand by my statement that if you think this is okay, imo you’re not using your brain.
Some countries you get life for facilitating illicit drugs. She got a break. Sorry.
She would be alwright let her think of how stupid she was. Someone will
take care of the children daddy,God parents.
All she saw was BIG $$$$$$$$$
she aint c no money involved!!!!! if u dont know the real deal then keep ur mouth shut!!!!!!!!!!!! real talk. n YES she does have her “friends & family helping her out.
Oh no!!..don’t be hate’n fool…she don’t know nuffin…..family know the real deal. Yeah, the real deal is that b!%$h no be making money for homies!!!! GET REAL BERMUDA!!!!
NO one cares, she aint doing any real time. She going to the St Geo hotel to bake cake and chill with the other dream team females who wanted the fast $$$$.
She can even get a law degree if she studies hard like Sir Charles. That’s real deal.
I truly feel for her two children. Eight years is a really long time to be without their mother. I’m praying that this sentence will deter other young women from falling into this same trap. Yes you might get a free trip and some spending money, but is it really worth losing your freedom and your children? Ladies, these drug dealers don’t give a damn about you…Please wake up!
why blame the drug dealers? heck, she’s 28 and knows what will happen if she gets caught….JAIL…..like 98% of law abiding citizens who have given thought to doing something illegal albeit for a few fleeting seconds….the threat of JAIL is a real and present deterent to this folly
I agree with ‘My two cents’ totally inappropriate sentences… Attempted Murder should have got at least 15 years and the Cannabis importation about 12…
Because the murder/attempted murder sentence are too low doesn’t make drug trafficking sentences to high. Think about it.
That is still only couple years difference! Totally messed up! Wake up people!
two cents you are right, let her get 8 and guys who kill people, 50+ hard labor in prison
So the pedophile gets 12 years for f*ckin up a young boys life forever… but a woman who brought in drugs- I mean, some herbs, gets 8 years?
So cannabis gets you 2/3 of the prison sentence as a rapist?
don’t worry about the pedophile….he’s gonna be somebody’s little ‘boi’ at west gate…and corrections staff have intermittant hearing loss….
Don’t forget he’ll be out in 6 years!!
Sentenced to 8. Will serve less than 3. Pretty sure that you only have to serve one-third of your sentence if you are Bermudian and with good behaviour. At least you are eligible for parole after serving only 1/3 of the sentence.
the law is not put in place to help the people. meaning the minority. its in place to work against them. big prison sentence that government arent paying but hard working tax’s payers are. the whole judicial system needs to be kicked in the ass and be re-writtin by humans. not money hungry thieves . government. they get rich and down people who are trying whatever way they can to do the same. its a backwards cycle and im 20 years old and i know this. and much more
10 years for a murder you’d get out with good behaviour get outv jail n repeat the same crime.. smh importing weed.. you get high. get hungry and go sleep.. i highly doubt a man high off of good weed will commit a crime like a man on alcohol will.. its for meditation purpose’s.. after a long day of taking your boss’s sh*t you go home n smoke up. your perspective of you boss will change. people in government need a DRAW
and she is crying for getting 8 years for trying to import $1 mill worth of weed. she ought to have thanked the judge, wished him a merry christmas and walked out with a smile on her face because she will be doing her time in bda & not one of the worst prisons of the world
ya bie….she should watch ‘LOCKED UP ABROAD’ and see what happens when you try that shyte in south america or asia….
You got it!
TRUE words!
lol
find me one of the attempted murderers or murderers who was not a regular smoker or “herb” and tell me if the sentence is light…just as guilty as them….
I love it when people say “Cannabis never hurt anyone.” When the gangs are protecting their turf with guns, don’t you think the cannabis trade might be somehow related?
Its called indirect result. Just like being sleepy behind the wheel, talking on the phone while driving, driving drunk ALL harm people. Are cell phones illegal, is alcohol illegal, is being tired illegal? You’re logic is flawed. And your logic points to exactly why marijuana should be legalized, taxed, and controlled.
It’s not the substance, its the black market. Some people want to skate around the truth by using flawed logic.
2 cents, you speak the truth. Marijuana needs to be decriminalized, taxed and regulated, the same as tobacco and alcohol. Unfortunately, the stigma thats been attached to weed over the decades has blinded many people to the truth. The amount of revenue that could be generated and saved would pull this country out of debt in no time, and with all that extra cash flow, some could be put into educating the public on marijuana use as they do with tobacco and alcohol. I keep hearing the most ridiculous statement about decriminalization… “oh, people will smoke it out in public and more people will take it up…” No, they will not. no more people will use it after than before. This has been proven in other jurisdictions. And besides, thats what regulations are for. “Smoking in public gets you fined” “smoking with and around minors gets you fined” and so on. You get the picture.
Anyway, Miss Gibbons is SOL for now cause the law is the law and until it changes, you gotta abide by it or face whatever consequences ensue.
The police tell me Gang life does NOT revolve around drug sales like in the States… Its actually about TURF and RESPECT. Bermuda’s drug distribution channels were set up long before the gangs came on the scene, and nothing’s changed there. Members of gangs may sell weed, but it is not about weed.
AYE BERMUDA IS TRASH POINT BLANK! government is full of dumb a$$ idiotz!
Sad that child rape only gets six years and a cannabis crime gets 8.
Grow up and get real with the laws to truly protect our children.
no pity for this lady.I’m sure all she had to do was turn in the dealer and she could have plead out a 2 year or less
Im guessing she wont be keeping the weave that’s in her hair..lol
Wow are you really that stupid?
who gonna do my dreads???????
F%$k all u dumb ass pplthat dnt kno wtf u talking bout honest 8 years are u serious
Keep yah head up love U michelle *kisses*
& f%$k all u haters on here just want s$%t to say
anybody knows how much money she would have received had she been successful in her delivery?
Wow I never realised that my fellow Bermudians could be so heartless. Yes, this young lady made a dumb mistake, but how can anybody find humour in that? A young woman is locked up and two children will be without their mother for this Christmas and many more after that. What is so funny about that? We really, really have some sick people in this country. No wonder Bermuda is slowly going down the drain…..
Karma bie!
TOTALLY AGREE WITH U RUSERZ SOME COLD HEARTED PEOPLE N THEY WONDER WHY… I HAVE NO PITY ON THEM God FORBID ANYTHING HAPPEN TO THEM
Michelle..People’s going to talk good or bad girl.You did what you did just live life and be a better person when you get released. Yes you must feel bad but the a$$ who you did it for tell them their game is finished. I know he/she wont support your two girls. But you have fam in ya corner and just keep your friends/frenimies closer cause by reading these comments you have alot of HATERS/critics…LOL. You’ll be okay…The rain don’t last forever sweets…Joy comes in the morning no doubt…and i’m just keeping it real. You were struggling so you did what you thought was best to do to provide for your kids. The gov’t won’t help you out…The financial assistance bull $hit welfare system sucks and is designed to keep one behind and not encourage them to get ahead. So girl I give you a round of applause. Keep ya head up this to shall pass.
People do desperate things when they are desperate for money. And nowadays there are plenty of desperate folks out of work, broke, busted and disgusted! Lock your doors!!
Glad to see some remorse. The thought of not being able to see her children or care for them must be heartbreaking. It’s truly a shame because she probably is the sole provider. Now on the other hand if she would have gotten away with this, as a mother she obviously does give not give too hoots about the possibility of my children smoking an illegal substance. In fact she would have been having herself a Merry Christmas! These are desperate times but as mothers we really need to ban together and help each other! This could save someone from making a bad choice!
$1.1 million is a WHALE of a lot of marijuana…which, while I believe it should be legalized and controlled, is still illegal here. I’m sorry…she should have thought of her two children before she agreed to try to import.
I really feel for the kids left behind without their Mothers…..