Man sentenced to three years for drug stash

Fri, Aug 28th 2015, 10:01 PM

A magistrate yesterday told a landscaper whom he sentenced to three years in prison after the man pleaded guilty to possession of nearly 600 pounds of marijuana, he "ought not to be collecting the wrong type of grass". Kent Knowles, 41, his sister, Kim Knowles, 46, his mother, Miriam Knowles, 71 and his father George Knowles, 74, were brought before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.

According to the prosecutor, officers conducted a search of the Knowles residence on Hill View Drive, Winton Meadows around 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday. In a shed located in the yard, officers found 25 bags of marijuana. Another three taped packages and seven clear sealed bags containing marijuana were also found in the shed. The drugs weighed 581 pounds and were valued at $581,000. While his mother, father and sister were home at the time of drug bust, Kent Knowles' was not. He was arrested later that night, according to the prosecution.

During the search, George Knowles reportedly advised officers that his son was the sole key holder of the shed. Kent Knowles pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply. His family members pleaded not guilty. During the proceedings, all but George Knowles, who occasionally glanced at his son, hung their heads.

Defense attorney Tecoyo Bridgewater of Bridgewater Legal Advocates asked for leniency as Knowles had not wasted the court's time, has no previous convictions, is a long-time landscaper with a local company and has a six-year-old child. Bridgewater asked that McKinney also take into consideration that Knowles is remorseful.

He claimed that the 41-year-old is not a narcotics dealer, but a man who made a bad decision. In his ruling however, McKinney said Knowles was not a victim of happenstance, but committed a deliberate act as a mature adult. He said this egregious act endangered his family and exposed them to ridicule. McKinney said Knowles, knowing the level of crime in The Bahamas, contributed to the problem instead of providing solutions.

He sentenced Knowles to three years in the Department of Corrections and a $25,000 fine, noting that failure to pay the fine will result in another year added to his sentence. The charges against his relatives were dropped. Kim Knowles cried as she exited court.

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