Couple admit illegal import of sugar glider
Jimel McLean
(CNS): Jimel McLean and Sabrina Walton, who were both charged with importing a live animal without a licence, pleaded guilty Thursday and were bailed until a sentence hearing next month. In one of the first prosecutions of its kind, the couple attempted to bring a sugar glider into Cayman from the US last summer. But they were caught when the small furry possum escaped from its hiding place in their clothing and caused a stir aboard a Cayman Airways flight from Miami.
The case has attracted considerable public attention and fuelled concerns because of the dangers to the local environment associated with the importation of invasive species.
McLean and Walton have admitted one count of importing a live animal without a licence. McLean, who is the son of East End MLA Arden McLean, has also admitted importing a biological product without a licence.
Would have been an idiot like him who brought the green iguana here too as an “exotic pet” .
Hey cute animal, what’s that idiot stuck to your ass?
I believe the law applies to all. Let justice take its course.
In Cayman its no true justice. Its who knows you, connections all the way, corruption thats the word.
Just inforce the laws !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enforce, just FYI.
enforce*
It would be a change for school children to visit an exotic zoo as a field trip rather than the usual cows and goats on Ash Wednesday.
I’m sure Australians love going to the zoo and petting rabbits.
Students need only step outside and they are in an exotic zoo. It’s called iguana park. Bought to you by idiots like this guy.
That’s my boy!
I’m more concerned about white powder, explosives, weapons and illegal human trafficking than a bloody 8 inch tall animal for gods sake.
Where do you stand on Legionaries Disease?
I remember about 9 years ago the wife of a big shipping family on the island snuck 2 little maltese puppies onto the island via a private jet. I remember a member of her family trying to tell me that she had gone through all of the necessary protocols in order to legally bring the puppies in. Having just brought in a dog properly from the US I was quite aware of what was required. Also, the little puppies were only 12 weeks old so I knew that they were not old enough to have had all of the necessary shots and blood work required to be approved by the DoA.
It was quite disheartening to me to know that she had risked two little puppies for her own selfishness as the DoA does reserve the right to put the animals to sleep. Luckily she was never caught – not that I care about her, it was the dogs that I was concerned about!
About two years, maybe a bit less, she ended up getting rid of the dogs. Too much work for her!
Only God know what else was brought in before by these individuals! SMH…
Picture says it all. Can’t fix stupid!
I am made to understand Jimel has other exotic animals at home or hiding them in the bushes. Has Jimel house and surrounding been thoroughly searched? He and his lover are very clever when it comes hiding animals and bringing them in the country illegally. The Court needs to make an example out of them to hopefully prevent other illegal importers of animals. Let us see…..
Just deport him. End of problem.
Hahaha
Just keep him in East End.
He’s Caymanian, cant deport.
Sure we can. Just tweak the law.
Is this the same son as McLean has been pressuring CIG to employ as a police helicopter pilot?
That’s a nephew
What ever.
get facts straight. jimel is ardens son. the pilot is the son of ardens brother.
they are going to get away with paying next to nothing in a fine and no jail time… teaching everyone that you can get away with this stuff if you have the right daddy.
I’d wager that would be the case with or w/o that daddy. Cayman laws do not protect our environment or animals of any kind.
Lets face it, the Cayman Government’s only interest, is in protecting the bank balances of the MLAs and they have zero interest in protecting the environment (unless they were able to make money out of it!)
The Planning Department pose a far greater risk to the environment than two stupid idiot Caymanians and a small furry animal!
It’s true even if the wasn’t the son of an MLA the maximum jail time for this offence is 6 months in prison
Maybe cuz his daddy is one of the country’s ‘lawmakers’
I’m curious about what kind of damage, a sugar glider, a single sugar glider, could cause to the environment? Or are they throwing it on exotic animal ban just because they are in fact, exotic.
Sugar gliders carry lepto, which can also be passed onto humans. Theyalso carry many other infectious diseases. If the sugar glider was to interact with other local animals that do not have immunity to some of the diseases or infections then that could quickly spread through a native population and wipe them out. This is why all animals, not just exotics, must go through all of the proper veterinary exams and receive treatments and vaccinations.
What do rats carry?
I highly doubt anyone has intentionally imported rats. You deal with the problems you have, not multiply them…fool
Riiiight. Cuz exotic dancers never proven to harm the environment
if its illegal, its illegal! … what kind of damage would an illegal anaconda do? dunno, probably eat you and the sugar glider … IF we dont have certain animals here, can we leave them where they are? see where the “exotic” green iguana has gotten us …. THINK! FOOLS! (if its illegal, its illegal!)
Just the same way the some expect to get off from DUI.
Ha, let’s hear Arden rant about HIS Caymanian attempting to destroy HIS island and it’s fragile ecosystem instead of some diabolical foreigner.
Hypocrisy at its Cayman fines
If you can’t blame the son for the sins of the father, can you blame the father for the sins of the son?
What does eat iguanas?
Hondurans
Please, let’s not import any more of them to eat the iguanas.
and my dog
Jaguars
While on the subject of island animals, has the green iguana ever been part of the menu? Like turtle stew? Just curious. Or is there just no way to prepare it in a palpable way?
Jerk, fried, stew, smoked, etc??
Check Tukka. Its called Tree Chicken.
Bet sugar glider tastes pretty good too.
And I’ll bet you don’t.
Smoked on a cedar plank is best for iguana!
Recipe as follows:
-skin your lizard
-rub it with coconut oil until tender
-season it with black pepper and salt
-place some orange slices on the cedar plan
-place the lizard on the plank
-place cedar plank on the grill
-cook for 1 hour
-throw the lizard away
-eat the cedar plank
Lol
And the biological product is???
Dog vaccines
Canine distemper vaccine
It’s a form of terrorism.
Meaning? (Idiot).
Don’t call names rock head. Just ask me nicely.
This is a test case for the people will be watching. Knowledge and intentional Illegal importation of non native species can raise hell with the local ecosystem. Maybe the next people will want to raise pythons and see this couple get a slap on the wrist so what havoc could pythons raise in Cayman?
These sugar gliders are known to wipe out the parrot population in other countries.
I may be a dreamer believing justice will be done but I know better.
The word you are looking for is “precedent” not test case, if you are going to try to comment your legal analysis at least use the jargon or terminology
Calm yourself Mr Stroppy. You could have had a valid comment it you weren’t so nasty.
And yet again, innocent animals suffer from the actions of asshole human beings.
CNS the picture does not show a sugar glider on Mr. McLean’s shoulder. Rather it is a marmoset. I wonder where and when that picture was taken? Any embedded data as to the date it were taken? Just askin?
Yeah, that’s just another illegal animal he imported!!!
There’s also a bearded dragon dealer on island. Like we need anymore invasive reptiles!
Seriously?! – A man who can sell me a dragon? That’s amazing, I’d definitely buy one from him regardless of whether he has a beard or not.
I am Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons
Come to me for all your (bearded) dragon needs
I thought the same thing when they first posted that pic with the story. They did find other illegal pets at his home but have never elaborated.
I’ll bet he’s still got it and others.
Do they eat iguanas?.
Nope they actually are a danger to bird species ( like our Native parrot)
Bit like Ezzard, who wanted to put a bounty on parrots because they ate mangos.
HIS MANGOES!!!!!!
I’d rather the parrots eat my mangoes for 3 main reasons:
1) Less food for the rats (They climb the trees and eat the mangoes and they eat the fallen mangoes spoiled or not)
2) I can’t eat them all anyway, I’d have to spend the whole summer outside picking mangoes (not to mention the explosive result of eating too many mangoes)
3) I’d rather the parrots eat some of my mangoes than go extinct because they are beautiful birds
Slap on the wrist incoming
Diogenes
Poor little guy (the sugar glider.) RIP
Just wish that these pest of iguanas had the attention of this sugar glider, or perhaps the first person that brought them in wasn’t the son of a Politician.
Or worse.. any 1 else notice these black worms that were never here until dart started bringing in all of his plants? guess DOA was too lazy to check those when they came in aswell..
Racist comment.
Black worms matter
Against Dart or the worms? ???
Nope, but I believe you will find he is the nephew of a politician.