Caroline Hodge-Clarke and D’Janne Varlark were sentenced, and the $24,980 seized was ordered forfeited to the state when the appeared in the Magistrate's Court on November 23, 2020. Photo: VINO/File

During their sentencing hearing on Monday, November 23, 2020, at the Magistrate’s Court in John's Hole, Magistrate Ayanna O. Baptiste-DaBreo said she found both women guilty of the offences of possession of a controlled drug and possession of proceeds of criminal conduct.

Magistrate DaBreo then imposed a term of imprisonment of two years to be suspended for two years for the offence of possession of a controlled drug, and possession of proceeds of criminal conduct; they were given a nine-month custodial sentence also suspended for two years. Both sentences are to run at the same time.

The court fined Varlack $130 for 6 grams of cannabis and her co-accused Hodge-Clarke $50 for 2 grams of cannabis or four days in prison as a default sentence for both.

Hodge-Clarke was also fined $75 or four days in jail for another small quantity of cannabis.

All the fines are to be paid by December 17, 2020.

While handing down her sentence, DaBreo said, despite the matters being serious, she did not see any benefit to the women being incarcerated.

Attorneys Nelson Samuel and Stephen R. Daniels represented the duo.

Background

The duo was intercepted by police on December 7, 2018, in Hannah’s Estate.

During the search, the drugs, totalling 680 grams of cannabis were found in their possession.

One day later, police conducted a search of the duo’s Belmont residence where the cash was found behind a mirror in the bedroom.

The women claimed to have worked hard, doing all kinds of jobs for the cash.

During the trial that followed, the court heard that police were searching for a firearm during the time of the operation.