Christ Church DJ guilty over AK-47 and pistol found at home, sentencing due December

Jamal Stapleton, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of two high-powered firearms and 62 rounds of ammunition. Sentencing is set for December 16.

Christ Church DJ blames open-door lifestyle for weapons found in his home

A 39-year-old deejay from Lower Silver Hill, Christ Church, told a Barbados court he allowed his sociable nature to place him in possession of two high-powered firearms and 62 rounds of ammunition — charges to which he has already pleaded guilty, Barbados Today reports.

Jamal Neall Stapleton appeared before Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell for his sentencing hearing after admitting earlier this year that a 7.62×39 calibre AK-47-style 'Mini Draco' pistol and a 9×19 calibre Taurus semi-automatic pistol, along with the ammunition, were found at his home on November 4, 2024.

Police discovered the weapons during a search of the property, locating a red haversack containing the firearms, magazines and ammunition in a storage area near the bathroom. The ammunition consisted of 27 9mm cartridges and 35 AK-47 cartridges. At the time of the search, Stapleton denied any knowledge of the items, telling officers: "I ain't know nothing about them. A lot of people pass through here."

"Guilty by association"

Addressing the court at his sentencing hearing, Stapleton offered a different account of how the weapons came to be in his home.

"Because of me being a deejay and being an open and friendly person, I allowed people to enter my home," he said. "I figured that people know the type of person that I am. So they leave, and they think that if they leave something here, it will be safe and know police won't turn up, and nobody [would] suspect [me] of having anything. That is the reason I end up pleading guilty."

He described the situation as one of negligence rather than criminal intent. "I would say guilty by association and who I allowed in my circle and in my home. It was negligence on my part because I am a trustworthy person and am a very social person."

Stapleton told the court he had an idea of who the firearms belonged to, but said that individual was now dead.

Character witnesses speak in his favour

Three character witnesses testified on Stapleton's behalf, among them his former manager at a diplomatic mission where he had worked as a gardener for more than a decade. Each expressed surprise at the charges and described Stapleton as honest and helpful.

In his own address to the court, Stapleton said he had tried to live as a law-abiding citizen. "I never expected to be in this situation at all in life. I tried my best to be a law-abiding citizen. A hard worker. Dedicated to my family and my friends."

He extended an apology to the court, his family and particularly his brothers. "I accept full responsibility for the articles and for them being at my home. Even though they are not mine, I accept the position that they were found in my possession, and I accept responsibility for that reason; for that reason, I asked the court for a little leniency."

Stapleton added that his time on remand had taught him a lesson he said he would carry for life. "I know that I would never ever be a repeat offender because I have learnt my lesson, and going forward I will try my best to do better in my community and country."

Sentence starting point: 15 years

Defence attorney Safiya Moore and acting Senior State Counsel Paul Prescod agreed on a starting point of 15 years, citing the high-powered nature of the weapons and the volume of ammunition recovered.

Moore requested a three-year deduction for her client, pointing to a positive pre-sentence report, the absence of prior convictions, his expression of remorse and the testimony of his character witnesses. The State, however, argued a two-year deduction would be appropriate for those same factors. Both sides asked the court to also weigh Stapleton's time spent on remand and his guilty plea.

Justice Smith-Bovell is scheduled to deliver the sentence on December 16.

Source: Barbados Today