St Catherine businessman fined $500,000 over illegal gaming boxes

St Catherine businessman, Leroy Sharpe, on Friday pleaded guilty to two counts of selling gaming boxes without a licence and was fined $500,000 or three months’ imprisonment in the parish court.

Sharpe was charged under Section 43(a) of the BGLC Act with provision of technical services without a licence and under Section 45(a) of the BGLC Act with possession of gaming boxes without a licence.

Acting Senior Parish Court Judge Janelle Nelson-Gayle informed the court that the maximum fine was $500,000 on each count.

His attorney-at-law Donahue Martin argued that his client did not waste the court’s time and should benefit from a discount.

Sharpe was subsequently fined $250,000 on each count of possession. 

The Crown offered no evidence on the charge of offering technical services, and he was freed on that count.

Facts outlined in court are that, acting on intelligence, police operatives attached to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Special Intelligence Branch conducted an operation in Old Harbour, St Catherine.

Sharpe was held by detectives while delivering the gaming boxes.

He was later formally interviewed and charged.

- Rasbert Turner

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