Caribbean News
Jamaican resident sentenced to Prison in the US for Making Ghost Guns
By Sherrica Thompson
Staff Writer
#USA, November 22, 2022 – A thirty-year-old Jamaican, Audley Reeves, was sentenced on November 17 in the United States to 18 months of imprisonment for making ghost guns, according to reports by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
These weapons are said to be homemade firearms that do not contain serial numbers or other identifying markings that prevent them from being traced to the owner, seller or manufacturer. 
The US Attorney’s Office said court documents and statements revealed that the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force learned that John Lee Ortiz (Reeves co-accused) and others were selling “ghost guns,” in late 2021.
Reports are that in December 2021, investigators made controlled purchases of seven handguns, a Bushmaster .223 calibre rifle, and numerous rounds of ammunition from Ortiz. Most of the handguns were said to be without serial numbers and had plastic lower receivers that appeared to be made with a 3D printer.
The US Attorney’s Office said Reeves was identified during the investigation as the fabricator of the ghost guns. Reeves and Ortiz were both arrested earlier this year on January 5.
“It was also revealed that Reeves was present in the apartment at the time of the search, and a 3D printer in the apartment was in the process of printing stock of an AR-15 style rifle,” the US Attorney’s Office stated.
Reeves pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of manufacturing firearms without a license on August 24. He is required to report to prison on January 6 of next year.
On the other hand, Ortiz is set to be sentenced on February 3.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
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