A 22-year-old Stanleytown man has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, while his alleged accomplice has been remanded to prison, following their arraignment on drug trafficking charges in the Blairmont Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Daniel Quintyn, a construction worker of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice, and Jamera Wills, 31, of Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, were jointly charged with possession of 3.70 kilograms (approximately eight pounds) of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
Quintyn pleaded guilty to the charge, while Wills pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias.
During the hearing, Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards objected to bail for Wills, arguing that the accused was fully aware of the quantity of narcotics he was transporting. The prosecutor cited the prevalence and seriousness of the offence and expressed concerns that Wills might fail to return to court if granted bail.
Magistrate Matthias agreed with the prosecution’s submissions and denied bail, citing the gravity of the offence. Wills was subsequently remanded to prison.
The charges stem from a stop-and-search exercise conducted by police on the Naarstigheid Public Road, West Coast Berbice, on January 3, 2026, during which the cannabis was discovered. Police estimated the street value of the narcotics at approximately $3.3 million.
Before sentencing, Quintyn told the court that he had been delivering the cannabis to another individual, explaining that he accepted the job due to financial hardship following a recent accident.
Magistrate Matthias sentenced Quintyn to 36 months’ imprisonment, noting that the penalty imposed was a portion of the maximum five-year sentence prescribed for the offence.
Wills is scheduled to make his next court appearance on January 29, 2026. The matter has since been transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrates’ Court.
