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(CNS): A local man who said he found a black bag containing 15 rounds of ammunition on Seven Mile Beach, near the Kimpton Hotel, earlier this year was sentenced to probation last month after a court ruled that, considering all the circumstances, “a prison sentence could be avoided.”
Corey Alexia Diaz, 26, pleaded guilty in April to possessing illegal bullets and was sentenced last month to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years.
As long as Diaz complies with the conditions of his probation and does not commit any more crimes during his probation, he will not serve any jail time.
At the sentencing hearing, the court heard Diaz had no previous convictions and a good family and employment background. He presented witnesses of good character to the court and expressed remorse for what he said was a foolish decision. He said he had recently suffered bereavement after his close friend was shot and killed, and two of his family members had recently been diagnosed with serious health issues.
His lawyer, Jonathon Hughes of Samson Law, argued that a prison sentence in this case would “do more harm than good” and that there had been many cases in the Cayman Islands where tourists were found with ammunition but only fined. According to his client, he had only been in possession of the bullets for a few hours when he was stopped by police, who searched the car and found the ammunition.
Although the prosecution did not accept the defendant’s version of finding bullets on the beach, they were happy to accept his plea and drop the charge regarding the discovery of three bullets and an inoperable magazine in the car.
Immediately after his arrest, he claimed that, in hindsight, picking up the bullet and carrying it with him “was a stupid thing to do” and that he “should have just left it at that or called the police.” Taking this and other mitigating factors into account, the court decided to sentence him differently.
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