Jordan Marshall, 29, of The Morne, St. Joseph, pleaded guilty to cultivating 1,352 cannabis plants and was ordered to pay $7,500.[1] He appeared in court with his brothers Shanly Marshall and Linson Marshall, who had been jointly charged with him but pleaded not guilty.[1] All three brothers were arrested on 10 February 2022 when police executed a search warrant at the home where Jordan lived with them.[2] Jordan told the officers that all of the cultivation was his, while his brothers made no reply.[1] The prosecution offered no evidence against Shanly and Linson, so their cases were dismissed.[1]
On 9 February 2022 Constable Lambert Hilaire of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force obtained a warrant to search the premises where Jordan resided for cannabis.[1] At 4:30 a.m. the next day, Drug Squad and Task Force officers in battle dress uniforms carrying pistols and rifles left police headquarters to execute the warrant.[1] In the first ground-floor room officers found an indoor cannabis nursery with three wooden stands holding fifteen wired black seedling trays partly covered with clear plastic.[1] A second room held another wired stand with eight trays of more apparent cannabis plants.[1] More cannabis was being cultivated on the northern side of the premises under lights powered from the house via solar panels.[1] Officers uprooted 130 plants at the scene and took seven sample plants in a nylon bag.[1] At the Drug Squad office officers counted 1,222 plants in the seedling trays.[1] Together with the plants uprooted at the scene, the seizure totalled 1,352 plants.[2] Samples sent to the government analyst tested positive for cannabis.[1] Police put the amount of cannabis at 72.75 pounds when the brothers were formally charged with cultivation.[1] The defence disputed that weight, saying the plants had never been weighed.[1]
The defence said Jordan, a father of a 3-year-old and a 9-year-old, had no previous convictions.[1] His lawyer said earlier incidents had left him disabled, with iron in his legs and recurring pain.[1] She said his disability prevented him from being gainfully employed.[1] The magistrate said he had to depart from the sentencing guideline because the prosecution had not presented an accurate weight.[1] In sentencing, the magistrate said he weighed Jordan’s guilty plea, age, family ties and the public interest.[2] Jordan was fined $7,500, payable as $1,500 by 30 June 2022, $2,000 by 31 December 2022 and $4,000 by 31 October 2023.[1] If he misses any payment he faces six months in prison.[1] Cultivation of cannabis carries a penalty of a $100,000 fine, three times the street value, or three months in prison.[1]
