A 41-year-old machine operator from Ottley Hall, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, has been released on EC$20,000 bail following his arrest on illegal weapons possession charges, with a court scheduling his next appearance in a high-level court this September. Damon Mason was taken into custody last Thursday when law enforcement officers discovered an unauthorised AR-15 rifle and 19 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition during a seizure at Nine Steps, Kingstown, according to official police statements. Both the semi-automatic rifle and the matching ammunition are classified as prohibited items under the country’s existing firearms legislation. Appearing before the Mesopotamia Magistrate’s Court on Friday, Mason entered a formal not guilty plea to the two counts against him: illegal possession of a prohibited firearm and unauthorised possession of ammunition, violations that require permission granted by a government minister to be legal. Magistrates granted bail but imposed a series of strict conditions to prevent flight risk. As part of the bail agreement, Mason must secure a financially responsible surety to back his bail bond, surrender all of his valid travel documents to authorities, and check in regularly at the Central Police Station two times every week. Court officials also issued formal stop notices that have been posted across all of the country’s ports of entry and exit, barring him from leaving the country ahead of his trial. The case was adjourned following the initial hearing and transferred to the Serious Offences Court, with the next court date set for September 17, when proceedings will advance toward a full hearing on the charges.
Machine operator granted bail on prohibited gun, ammo charges
