A well-known public figure in Antigua has returned to civilian life following the completion of his prison sentence for illegal firearms charges. Oszie Kelvin Russell, a 40-year-old tattoo artist who goes by the public nickname “Mongoose,” was discharged from His Majesty’s Prison on Monday, July 27, marking the end of a legal saga that gripped public attention across Antigua and Barbuda over the past several months.
The case that led to Russell’s imprisonment traces back to a targeted police search operation executed at his private residence in the Lightfoot neighborhood on April 22, 2025. According to official law enforcement accounts, when officers entered the property to carry out the search warrant, Russell attempted to dispose of a prohibited weapon by throwing it out of a second-floor bedroom window. Despite this attempt, law enforcement teams successfully recovered the discarded weapon shortly after the search began.
In a court proceeding held in April 2025, Russell entered a formal guilty plea to all charges brought against him. The charges included unlawful possession of an unlicensed Glock 80 9mm handgun, 10 rounds of live ammunition matching the weapon’s caliber, and an illegal firearm suppressor, all of which were found in his possession during the search.
Since news of Russell’s release broke, the case has remained a topic of public discussion across the twin-island nation, with local residents continuing to debate issues surrounding illegal gun possession and public security regulations in Antigua and Barbuda.