PHILIPSBURG--Four members of a criminal organisation involved with large-scale money-laundering operations were convicted by the Court of First Instance on Thursday. Main suspect Pershin I.S. Doram (32) was sentenced to six years.

The other three suspects received (largely) suspended prison sentences with community service.

 

The Prosecutor's Office had requested a 10-year sentence for Doram, who was held for a "mid-level chief" in the organisation involved with drugs, firearms and large-scale money-laundering operations, together with his brother Darrell K. Doram (24), his partner in life Renicia Y. Arrindell (29) and Mauricio D. Dembrook (34). Of these four, Pershin Doram is the only suspect who is currently detained.

 

All four suspects had denied the charges and their lawyers had all pleaded for their clients' full acquittal.

 

The judge found it proven that Pershin Doram had been in possession of a Glock model 36, .45 calibre pistol with three clips and 47 shells, and of possession of 1,130 grams of cocaine.

 

He was also found guilty of laundering US $310,000 between June 2012 and December 6, 2013, in purchasing a large number of cars, among which were a Dodge Caravan, Hyundai 130, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Corolla, Mercedes GLK 300 and Volkswagen Touareg.

 

The Court also held Doram and the other suspects for members in a criminal organisation, involved with laundering cars and amounts of money.

"Together and in association with others, suspect has been guilty of crimes involving firearms, drugs [more than one kilo of cocaine – Ed.] and laundering of criminal proceeds. He did this after he had been convicted previously, in 2003, to 10 years' imprisonment for several crimes, among which was firearm possession.

 

"The crimes that were considered proven this time were committed while he was on probation," the judge stated. "Money-laundering is a serious crime that is disrupting financial-economic traffic," he added.

 

Doram's brother, Darrell, and his partner, Arrindell, were both sentenced to 18 months, 15 of which were suspended, on two years' probation and 240 hours of community service.

 

The prosecutor had requested 18 months, six of which were to be suspended, on two years' probation.

 

The Court found it proven that Darrell had known that the large amounts he had received from his brother to buy cars with had been the proceeds of crime. "It is highly unlikely that, after his lengthy prison term, this brother had earned these large sums in a legal manner with his carpentry business," the judge stated.

 

The Court held it against the Doram brother that he had assisted in concealing the criminal source of money via the purchases of cars and by sending and receiving money to and from abroad via money transfer. In sentencing, the Court took into account that he was not convicted before.

Arrindell, who is also a first offender, was acquitted of firearm possession. Clips and ammunition were found in one of the vehicles belonging to her car rental agency in French St. Martin. However, the Court stated that there were no indications that the woman had even been remotely aware of the presence of a small bag with armaments in that particular car.

 

It was found proven that Arrindell had been involved with money-laundering in purchasing several cars to the amount of US $160,000.

 

Also in her case, the Court said it was hard to believe that Arrindell had not been aware that the large amounts she had received from her boyfriend to buy cars with, and the amounts she had received to send to others, were obtained through crime.

 

"The suspect's car rental company was a money-laundry for the amounts her friend obtained in committing crimes," the judge stated in the verdict.

First offender Dembrook was also convicted of money-laundering. The Court found it proven he had received US $51,000 from a co-suspect in his company's bank account, after which he had written out a US $50,000 cheque to a co-suspect. He kept US $1,000 in his account as a reward, the Court stated.

 

Statements that the money was intended for the purchase of lumber for a construction project were dismissed as incredulous.

 

Dembrook was sentenced to five months suspended, on two years' probation and 120 hours of community service. The prosecutor had requested six months suspended with 140 hours' community service.

Upon the prosecutor's request, the judge also ordered the confiscation of an undisclosed number of goods and money.

 

The Daily Herald