–to return to court to face more charges

A WEST Demerara man was on Friday sentenced to a total of six years in jail and fined $120,000 for the possession of gun and ammunition.

Dexter Valensuela, 44, of Crane, West Coast Demerara admitted that on October 24 in the Barima River, in the North West District he had in his possession an AR rifle when he was not a licenced firearm holder.
He further admitted having five rounds of 22.3 ammunition in his possession.

Valensuela, a boat captain by profession, was also charged for trafficking 1.500 kilograms of cannabis and having an AK 47 along with 14 matching rounds of 7X62 ammunition in his possession.

He denied these three additional charges, saying that someone had given him a package to take into the interior, and that he had no knowledge of what was inside it.

The unrepresented man explained that five months ago he was robbed by pirates at in Venezuela waters, and he and his crew had to swim to safety.

He pointed out that while in Venezuela looking for his boat, he ended up buying the firearm for protection.

Police Prosecutor Arwin Moore told the court that a group of police, along with the Army’s Coast Guard, acting on information received, swooped down on the Barima River where they intercepted a metal boat captained by Valensuela.

The AR rifle was found in the bow of the boat, while the other gun was found in the stern. Moore said that the narcotics were found in a black shoulder bag.

After being sentenced and fined for those charges he admitted to, Valensuela was ordered to return to court on November 21 to face the three other charges.