Drug mule gets 12 years
(CNS): Kenecia Melissa Millwood (24) from George Town has been given a twelve year jail term after being convicted of importing almost three kilos of cocaine from Colombia hidden in the wooden slats of three hammocks. Visiting judge Justice Ingrid Mangatal described the potential harm to Cayman from the substantial amount of drugs the woman had attempted to import as immense. However, the judge noted that the young woman was a drug mule whose role in the drug trafficking was a lesser one and whose circumstances in life had led her to being vulnerable at the hands of those higher up the chain.
The judge stated that sentencing is never an easy task, before she handed down thesignificant prison term for the woman, who, the court heard, had already suffered significant violence and abuse in her life to date.
“I accept the role you played would be considered a lesser role and you appear to be a vulnerable and easily exploitable person,” the judge told Millwood, who has no previous convictions despite her very difficult life
“I take into account your unfortunate and abusive childhood, which lacked parental guidance and support, and you found yourself assuming parental responsibilities of your siblings at a tender age, and have been, since a teenager, in dire financial straits that misled you to engaging in sexual acts for money.”
The judge noted that the woman had serious mental health problems and had been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress and personality disorders as a result of the violent, sexual and emotional abuse she had suffered growing up.
The court heard that Millwood had attempted to take her own life on a number of occasions and had indulged in self harm. Her own mother also had suffered from mental health issues and as a result, while still very young herself, had taken care of her three younger brothers. Millwood had held down several jobs since leaving school to provide for the young children in her care, but she had also supplemented her income as a sex worker.
The court heard during the trial that the man who may have arranged the drug importation, known as ‘Beanie’ or Wayne, also appeared to act as a pimp for Millwood, seeking out clients.
Despite the woman’s clean record, her vulnerability, mental health problems and appalling early life circumstances, the judge said Millwood had committed a serious offence.
Justice Mangatal spoke of the need for a deterrent in such cases and pointed to aggravating circumstance of the cocaine being concealed in a sophisticated way inside the framework of hammocks, as well as the large quantity that the mule had been given to carry, though there was no evidence that Millwood had any idea at all of the quantities involved or how the drugs were packed.
As she handed down a dozen years of imprisonment to the young woman, who stood quietly with her head down as she received her fate, the judge said she hoped that Millwood would take the time to consider her offence and “ponder long and hard” so as to never find herself on wrong side of law again.
During the trial the jury had heard that the woman had been stopped at the airport, and when the hammocks were x-rayed, officers found 2.86 Kilos of cocaine. Millwood denied any knowledge of the cocaine and said that the hammocks were gifts for some of her family members.
She said that the idea had come from her friend “Beanie”, the man who the court heard was a one-time boyfriend and pimp to Millwood. She was taken to a store by the cousin she said she was staying with but didn’t see the hammocks that she picked out until she got to the airport in Colombia ahead of her flight home to Cayman. Millwood said she had arranged for them to be varnished and her cousin collected them for her.
However, BBM messages between herself and Beanie implied that she may have known that there were drugs in the hammocks.
Relate article on CNS: Jury finds drug mule guilty
Category: Crime
This scentence actually equates to around 10 calendar years as a prison year is 8 months. If she behaves she'll be out in around 7 or 8 years.
I actually think she knew what she was doing despite the influences and hardships she faced. Many girls grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and have had to care for younger siblings, struggle to put food on the table and even depend on older men for exptra cash but the majority dont turn to smuggling drugs for thier ex boy friends.
As for Beanie, where is he and why hasnt he been charged?
13:34 its a different Beanie they are referring to here. Beenie that was killed by Mango Tree's real name is Anthony. This guy's name is Wayne.
It is time for the Beanie character to be changed also and those that are a part of the group. The sentence should be shared equally to all involved, since the government have the BBM messages go after the Beanie and his coharts. Then again like everything else only the most vunerable are left t face the consequences.
06:53, Wasn't Beanie murdered at Mango Tree earlier this year or late last year? If so, then it is pretty difficult to convict a dead person.
Harsh ! that sentance is so wrong! she as duped by a bullying drug dealer and seeing as she has mental health issues she was an easy target. Yes she did wrong but 12 years! totally wrong! go after the higher people and get them! i feel sorry for her she worked hard raising her 3 brothers and had to then enter the sex trade for more work to make ends meet! She should have got 5 years max!!!!!!!! and in a mental health hospital!
The judge has basically described the woman as being mentally unfit. So the solution is obviously 12 years in prison. We should ensure she get therapy and medication if needed while she is under state care.
12 years for a woman with a clean criminal background and 9 months for a man raping his 7 year old daughter, I f-king hate this island and I am Caymanian! What a disgrace!
Sentence seems quite harsh. Should have done official corruption insead!
The sentence seems a bit harsh considering this young lady's background and the fact that she has mental issues because of physical and sexual abuse suffered as a child.
What is being done to address her mental issues? Or does the Court and the CI Goverment really think that locking someone away without addressing the reasons she's there in the first place is the solution?
This young lady will come out of jail no better than she went in, which means, she'll be back there again.
And what about Mr. Beanie? You have the name of the supplier and pimp. Is there any kind of investigation into him?
Another shining example of justice and 'Caymankind' in the Cayman Islands.
11:32 – that's what I was thinking as I read the story. They must know who and where he is – what punishment does he get? But then, he wasn't found with the drugs, she was.
Every dog has his day – his will come.
When will our young people stop being drug mules for hard back drug bosses. Young men and women stop being used for a couple of dollars which you can work for. It is time for the authorities to go after the middle men and drug bosses in this country. Those who finance the trips, made the connections overseas with the drug bosses and provide the money to buy the drugs. Stop doing the money people dirty job for them and landing yourself up in prison or the grave, tell these people NO! Look at some of these pictures and realize that sooner than later drug trafficking will catch up with you irrespective of the money made or lost, in most cases you will loose big time.