Street dealer jailed for 6.5 years
RCIPS police car outside courthouse, Grand Cayman
(CNS): Alex Adrian Ebanks (25) was jailed for six and a half years Thursday after he admitted a catalogue of drug related charges and street level dealing of cocaine. Ebanks was arrested last summer after a raid at his home in George Town, where police found over 100 grams of coke, several ounces of ganja and a collection of triptine pills (legal highs). But when officers seized his phone, they found evidence of conspiracy to import drugs, perverting the course of justice and transferring criminal property, and his customer base of over 50 people was also exposed, including a number of runners who assisted him on the street to sell the drugs.
The phone evidence led to several more arrests in the drug conspiracy. Canute Nairn stood trial this week on conspiracy to import drugs with Ebanks and is awaiting a verdict, but six more individuals are due to appear in court Friday on other lesser related drug charges.
Ebanks had been expected to stand trial this week on ten counts along with Nairn but opted to plead guilty following discussions with prosecutors and a hearing before the judge regarding the time he was likely to spend in jail. The crimes all related to a period of a few months over the summer last year.
He admitted seven charges of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, conspiracy to import drugs, trying to avoid a positive drug test in the court while on bail for another offence and destroying his police interview tapes “in a fit of temper”, among other charges.
A charge of converting criminal property related to his search for US currency in order to buy a kilo of cocaine in Jamaica. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin said he had enlisted the help of a friend who worked in a local retail bank to secure the American cash as there was a shortage at the time due to issues relating to the local banking system and their US partners.
While the crown said Ebanks had travelled to the neighbouring island to buy the drugs to replenish his business, they couldn’t prove he actually brought the drugs to Cayman and settled on a conspiracy charge, which he admitted.
Justice Micheal Mettyear had indicated prior to the sentencing hearing that he would be giving Ebanks a sentence of around ten years, with a discount for his guilty plea.
Following the submissions about the facts of the case and some information about Ebanks from his defence attorney, John Furniss, the judge pointed to the need for him to be aware of the totality of the time Ebanks would have to serve and made most of the jail terms concurrent, leading to the 6.5 year term.
The court heard that, with the exception of a ganja consumption charge, Ebanks was of previously good character and studied overseas to become a draftsman. When he returned home to Cayman, despite his education and years studying, with no working experience in the field he was unable to secure a job in the private sector or in government. As a result, he began working in construction and it was here, Furniss said, that he met the individuals who got him involved in the drug business.
Through his lawyer, Ebanks apologized to the court, the community and above all his mother and told the court he intended to use his time in jail as productively as possible in order to be ready to return to a crime free life after he has served his sentence.
Ebanks has been in jail since last October and the judge confirmed that time served on remand will count. Based on good behavior and rehabilitation, Ebanks will be eligible for release after 60% of his sentence is completed.
It’s has been a minute since this article was released and everyone has the right to an opinion and this is mine. Alexander Ebanks as a human in general is actually an amazing person, He just didn’t meet the guide lines of being a good citizen. In life “you” will always have an opponent on the opposite team, no matter it be at work,personal life, or even just in everyday traffic. And if a third person were to stop and ask “your” opponents thoughts about “you” they would be negative. In this case the law was his opponent. When reading the article, when they mentioned his high educational level and character ECT. They only mentioned it in a style to appear as if he “wasted” his life. In the real world the light and water company doesn’t care how you pay them but they must get paid. When your child is going to bed with a “rumbling ” stomach, and your working at minimum wage and you had to choose between having lights and water for your child or school clothes or food. Would you not do what ever it took to be able to afford it all? Look at the officers currently being found for importation. ANYONE who knew Alexander personally will tell you his character is higher than the average human’s, even my own at times. I remember days when everyone turned there back on me, when holidays were coming up or school beginning, people’s cars being broke, people with no groceries, ALEXANDER was there. The island is small we all know each other, even if it’s only by name or face. This is the first time hearing of any “wrong” being done. We as caymanians always shouting about “looking out for our own people” and that’s what he did and he did what he felt he had to do to complete a “saying” he never even created. Life is a double sided mirror. I’m not saying he was right but he wasn’t 100% wrong. It doesn’t take 6.5 years to realized you made a wrong decision. He didn’t murder anyone it was ONE stupid decision. They took a child from there mother/mother from there child, a sibling from there brother and a husband from his wife/wife from her husband, that still grieve as if it were day one of him being gone. And if you don’t know the feeling imagine being stuck in repeat of your mother’s death, the mental and emotional depression and exhaustion. So in honor of the justice system and Alexander ebanks an updated article should be written about him as a person and his current state on many levels. Maby the article might help him find a legal job. It’s not going to be any easier once he gets out to get a legal job once being looked at in such a negative spot light. We always hear about the “criminals” going in, never hearing about them once there in, it is as if they dont matter anymore they dont “exists”. Is our prison/justice system being used correctly? Its there to show “you” your wrongs and lead you in a positive direction. I have watched drug users come in every week sentenced max 3 days in prison and still be back the next week. You think the drug user doesn’t sell or trade or share with other users?
Thanks to the court this drug dealer and his co hearts should be off the street for a while. Far too many of our people are getting hooked on drugs.
‘with the exception of a ganga consumption charge… previously good character. Bull***t. Why was this man of previously good character avoiding a drugs test while on bail, destroyed police interview tapes and managed to move from ganga consumption to cocaine dealing. If what the courts mean is that ‘ the guy doesn’t have a long rap sheet’ then just say it. He was clearly of dubious character before appearing before the courts on this charge.
And how many are on work permits as draftsmen on this island, and even with a oversea’s degree one of our own’s can’t secure a job in his field of study, but even with 50 customers on record only six got caught, what is also surprising is how quickly he got caught after setting up shop, you have to wonder if he was doing too good a job and had to be nipped in the bud before he became too successful. This is part of the price we are paying for all the work permits, our owns don’t get a chance, and fall into the cracks of crime and wrong doing, I’d prefer ten work permits be turned down than have to hear one Caymanian end up in Jail because of making a stupid decisions like this.
That would equate to 10 Caymanian business owners who can’t move forward on a project, can’t run their business at a profit, can’t employ other workers etc. because they have been denied a work permit for a position that they need filled by a competent, experienced person, yesterday, and the sole Caymanian applicant (between all 10 of them) has no work experience. Brilliant thinking!
Because when you cannot get the job you want and trained for, the sensible and moral thing to do is start drug dealing rather than take another job, even if it pays less than you would like?
I really hope that he use the time in prison to rehabilitate. He is still young and can change for the better which I hope and pray that he will. Young man you followed the wrong path but you don’t have to stay there, change for the better. Don’t see this experience as all doom and gloom see it as your opportunity of reflection and your second chance. Don’t squander it save yourself and others by going straight.
Six and a half years for selling drugs, but steal millions, get drunk and run someone over, or sell favors from a government office and you’ll be unlucky if you get more than 3.
Goes to show the special treatment the rich and well connected get. Not to condone what Alex has done, but it seems that he has gotten more time than people that have done worse.
The first sentence of this news report bugs me and I have seen it before. “Jailed for 6 and half years Thursday…” Isn’t it grammatically correct to put “on Thursday?” My grammar isn’t great, but I’m not a journo and I see this all the time in this newspaper. That’s how we speak, not how it should be written, surely. Maybe I’m wrong, but I always spot it when it’s written so I don’t think it’s right. Just saying.
Anyone ever wonder how you hear of the drug dealers and the little guys who steal to support the habit goes to jail but you never hear of the high rollers who uses the stuff are ever caught? i can’t believe the lil unemployed coke heads have the amount of dollars laying around to support their habits. It seems to me that there’s a large demand on this island for the stuff and the powers to be should look at cutting off the demand which would then slow or stop the sales of these illegal drugs.
Well done for wasting your education. Seems to be running theme with both locals and expats nowadays.
Just how many streets did he deal? I didn’t realize it was illegal to buy streets here…wow, tough place.
Baines who!? RCIPS is on a roll! Just look at all of the positive things happening since he left!
He was arrested last summer. Do try to read the whole article.
I also said look at all of the positive things happening since Baines left. Do try read the whole comment.
Agreed, the boys and girls in blue are doing well at this time. But your poorly constructed comment suggested that the arrest, conviction and sentence of this piece of human detritus was all due to the post Baines era. How do you think that may effect the moral of those officers who carried out the investigation who are still with the RCIPS?
attempting to justify stupid and unthought out comments never looks convincing
For sure Caymanians can now spill the beans to Caymanians who will get the credit, they would never do that to expatriate officers, hence the increased arrests.
It will be 6 years and when he gets out, they will be more wise. That’s what prison do.
Actually, he will probably serve 24-36 max.
Jesus..stop sending people to jail for drugs, any adult who wants to use drugs should be allowed to do so and they will have to get it somewhere so man the dealer buy a T&B license.
This would empty the jails and free up police to stop real crime,
you mean like the murder they carry out to pay for the drugs. Brilliant.
Well no lol, that’d be going to jail for murder not drugs ya flaming galah!
Ummmm so like all the other legal businesses where killings take place on a daily basis…. Last time I was in the supermarket I was worried some guy from the next supermarket would come get them and I would be caught in the middle… If the business is legal, all the killings, bribery and high jinx are mostly lost to the free enterprise system. But thanks for playing…
If drugs were legal, they’d be cheap enough that there wouldn’t have to be crime to support the habit. Maybe.
Please hope the “Elephant Tranquilizer Additive” never reaches our shores then we will all know the real truth like Ohio and many other states in the USA are experiencing.
Hardly surprising he pleaded guilty as he got a substantial reduction in his sentence despite the overwhelming evidence, and he can continue his business in Northward where cell phones fly over the fence almost every day.
Making accuses for being lazy and not wanting to muscle through the lower ranks to get to the top of his field of education so chose the street route. There you go bobo!