Michael Lee Evans gets suspended One Year sentence; no prison, no fine for seven bullets

Wilkie Arthur

Eagle Legal News Media

#TurksandCaicos, June 25, 2024 – On Monday June 24th 2024, 73-year-old MICHAEL LEE EVANS was sentenced to 33 weeks of imprisonment, but he won’t have to spend that time incarcerated, the judge brought the verdict of a 12-month suspended sentence.

He was found with a loaded magazine with seven rounds of ammunition on December 12th, 2023, at the Howard Hamilton International Airport in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Evans pleaded guilty to being in unlawful possession of the loaded magazine with seven rounds on April 24 via Zoom; he was patched in from the United States of America after having been granted bail just before Christmas.  That bail, from her Ladyship, the Hon. Ms. Tanya Lobban Jackson also permitted the 73-year old American to leave the Islands due to serious life-threatening health complications.

The prosecution, in this case, did concede that this is a case of exceptional circumstances as allowed by the Firearms Ordinance; still it went on to submit to the Court that the “ill” defendant should be sent to prison.

The judge ruled that indeed this was a case of exceptional circumstances, allowing the court to depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of twelve years imprisonment.  Judge Lobban-Jackson imposed a sentence of 33 weeks imprisonment suspended for one year.

Michael Lee Evans was represented by Mr. Oliver Smith KC and his junior assistant, Mrs. Kimone Tennant.

Holding for the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Angela Brooks was Senior Public Prosecutor Mrs. Nayasha Hatmin.