Warrants issued for American women on cocaine rap
Published:Tuesday | December 21, 2021 | 12:08 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The St James Parish Court has issued bench warrants for the arrest of two American women who failed to show up in court last Thursday to continue their matter after previously being granted bail in the sum of $1 million each on cocaine charges.
Presiding Parish Judge Kaysha Grant issued the warrants after hearing that Regina West-Thompson and Simone Bolden, against whom stop orders had been imposed had absconded.
“The surety said that the day the bail was being processed, she saw the persons packing up, so now the surety will have to pay that cost,” said the obviously displeased magistrate.
Under Section 15 of the Bail Act, a person who absconds while on bail for an offence can be fined up to $500,000 or sentenced to two years’ imprisonment if convicted.
Section 16 of the act also empowers the court to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person who, having been granted bail, fails to surrender into custody at the appointed time.
West-Thompson, 42, and Bolden, 20, who are of California addresses in the United States, were charged with possession of, dealing in and attempting to export cocaine after they had been held with a combined 9lb of cocaine in June. They had been offered bail on July 20.
During the women’s first court appearance on July 7, Judge Sasha Ashley rejected defence lawyer Henry McCurdy’s initial attempts to apply for bail on their behalf.
The next date, July 16, was set to allow time for further consideration for bail, as well as to allow West-Thompson to seek medical aid.
However, the July 16 bail hearing was put off to July 20, due to further concerns regarding West-Thompson’s health.
When bail was finally granted on July 20, in addition to the stop orders, the women were placed under a curfew order, restricting them to their designated place of residence between 2 p.m. and 8 a.m. daily. They were also ordered to report daily to the Barrett Town Police Station.
The allegations are that on Wednesday, June 30, at 8 a.m., West-Thompson and Bolden were preparing to board a flight at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, when a search team discovered cocaine valued at J$6.7 million. They were arrested and charged.