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$178k cash forfeited to Crown; SVG mason sentenced to 9.5 months @ HMP

Paul Mercutius Jack, 50, an unemployed mason from St Vincent and the Grenadines who was caught with over $178,000 in cash suspected of being from criminal activities on December 4, 2020, was sentenced to 9.5 months in jail yesterday, March 23, 2021. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Paul Mercutius Jack, 50, an unemployed mason from St Vincent and the Grenadines who was caught with over $178,000 in cash suspected of being from criminal activities on December 4, 2020, was sentenced to 9.5 months in jail yesterday, March 23, 2021.

The cash that was found concealed inside a toolbox was forfeited to the Crown at the Magistrate’s Court, which was presided over by Senior Magistrate Tamia N. Richards.

The Virgin Gorda resident entered a guilty plea to the charge of Proceeds of Criminal Conduct at an earlier court appearance, which went in his favour at sentencing.

This is because his sentence was reduced from 19 months to 9.5 months because of his early guilty plea, and also, he was on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison since his first appearance on December 7 2020.

Allegations

As per the court documents, on December 4, 2020, just before 8:00 am, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force executed a search warrant on the defendant’s residence, where he was met at the front of his home working on a wooden toolbox.

During the execution of the warrant, the toolbox was searched, and upon removing the tools, the officers observed that the toolbox had a secret compartment to the bottom. In the presence of the defendant, the secret compartment was removed, revealing three plastic bags containing large quantities of cash.

The cash was $178,440 in denominations of $5’s, $10s, $20s, $50s and $100 bills.

When he was cautioned, he allegedly replied: “Officer, I don’t know whatever you see there; it is what it is.”

He was later taken to the Virgin Gorda Police Station, where financial investigators questioned him on who the money belonged to, to which he took ownership.

He also participated in a cautioned interview, and when questioned, he allegedly said: “I am not going to answer that.”

Jack was then charged with Proceeds of Criminal Conduct.

22 Responses to “$178k cash forfeited to Crown; SVG mason sentenced to 9.5 months @ HMP”

  • Nice (24/03/2021, 08:53) Like (19) Dislike (5) Reply
    it is funny you and me can't spend such money but government can spend it why don't government burn it (the proceeds of criminal conduct)

    thank you mr jack for the contribution and stimulating the economy

    there goes your retirement fund!!!!!!
    • @ nice (24/03/2021, 09:25) Like (2) Dislike (13) Reply
      The Gov spending is for your benefit.
      Your spending is for your personal pleasure while still taking wanting and demanding. The pittance the people of the VI contribute in taxes isn't sustainable. This is an area that needs big change.
      • taxman (24/03/2021, 10:19) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply
        So when a wall costs millions of dollars, or millions are siphoned out of the territory for an airline with no planes, or the cost of changing the hospital sign is quoted at hundreds of thousands, that is all for our benefit? Maybe what isn't sustainable is the number of people with their snouts in the trough overcharging for government contracts, and the government happily paying it. Look at the Anegada solar project, not even off the ground yet and there are allegations of fraud against the winning tender
    • YAWN (24/03/2021, 20:47) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Nice, the money isn't the problem so why would you burn it.
  • LordMax (24/03/2021, 09:09) Like (28) Dislike (14) Reply
    Free the man & give him his Money back!
  • Hawaii 5-0 (24/03/2021, 09:13) Like (11) Dislike (19) Reply
    Question...
    1) why was it necessary to execute a search warrant on a random, unemployed mason?
    2) why search a tool box of all things
    3) the way crimes are solved (or lack thereof) I’m suspicious that the cops would take all the tools out of the box and “discover” a hidden compartment

    Either he told someone that he had the money in there or he and others put the money in there... either way he was ratted out. So how we spending this stimulus???
  • Prophecy (24/03/2021, 09:16) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    The fool and his money will part
  • Oh No (24/03/2021, 09:56) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
    Set up
  • Appeal (24/03/2021, 10:37) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    Well he pleaded guilty. Seems like he should have gotten a lawyer. Oh well...thanks for the contribution to our local economy.,..at least they can't say down island people ain't contributing to the building up of the community. Lord, at least the Magistrate could have given him a lesser sentence...the man just give us near $200K! That's a wonderful charitable donation. *wry humour
  • @prophesie (24/03/2021, 11:48) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    Lucky he part from the money and the money from him ...real talk lucky it the government move on him...nigga out here hungry
  • @Nice (24/03/2021, 11:52) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Hmmm de real mafia be ....for us it kill or be kill
  • @ shaft (24/03/2021, 13:37) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    Stupid plain AND simple YOU know you are in a next man country keep your hands clean SOME of us just dont like outsiders and will jump on the excuse to call down the country you when you do something wrong AND those who are highly educated and are in a position to clear up that dirty ignorance by some of us by explaining that it's not the country it's the person AND that there is GOOD and BAD in EACH AND EVERYONE OF US AND WE ALL LIVE ON THE SAME PLANET
    • @@Shaft (24/03/2021, 15:26) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
      It's the country and its " persons" as a wholesale crime and criminal proclivity in the DNA.
      Father God bless them countries with oil.gold, copper,silver, rain,rivers, fertile soil. Everything needed to live comfortable . Yet they are rolling stones,dissatisfied,covetous, and larcenous.
      Bvi was doled out dry weather,thats it. But BVI feeding clothing and housing them all here and abroad with little or no thanks. We good people and Blessed with humane DNA..we not in their jails,and clogging up their courts andspilling their bloods on their soil. Not now and neither in the past.
      Same planet. Different species.


  • Well (24/03/2021, 14:16) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    I do hope immigrants dept is paying attention and he is deported once time is served.
  • SVG (24/03/2021, 19:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    svg cartel in bvi?
  • big mouth (24/03/2021, 20:04) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    lots of those want to be bad man when babylon takes them into custody they sing like birds most times when police comes with the warrant someone rat you out(play the tape)
  • A SO (25/03/2021, 04:15) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    They say only locals doing the crime but the truth is out now.
  • K (25/03/2021, 05:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    As well as BVI cartel in bvi it's a joint thing remember don't feel bad
  • rewrsdffds (25/03/2021, 06:47) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    asking from round rock. so only black folks are involved with drug trafficking in the virgin islands. no one questions when white folks build these expansive hillside villas however when the black people begin building it is because of drugs. whites come into virgin islands purchase many private yachts and is called an investor most of such transactions goes without questioning the source of the money. people are people and no class or creed should be above the law of the virgin islands. offshore companies in the virgin islands have been publicly identified with money laundering and such accusations appears to be swept up the rug. the current white commissioner of police in a live broadcast is pointing his finger at black people in the virgin islands for having power boats and fast cars in the mean times white people in the virgin islands have dive vessels, sail boats, marinas, charter boats and villas.....
  • from here (25/03/2021, 09:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    BVI people need to wake up!!!
  • Gone to government (25/03/2021, 10:46) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    To do stupidness with.I would like 78,000 out of that.


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