Entertainer Sharon “Ruffian” Peterkin was not too long ago sentenced to 13 years and 9 months in jail following her conviction on firearm-related fees within the Gun Court docket Division of the Supreme Court docket in downtown Kingston.
Peterkin, 59, was discovered responsible of unlawful possession of a prohibited weapon and unauthorised possession of ammunition. She was arrested in Might 2023 after members of the Space 5 Fugitive Apprehension Group executed a focused search of her Portmore, St Catherine, residence. The group, appearing on intelligence, found a 9mm firearm — with its serial quantity eliminated — and a amount of ganja. Though Peterkin was initially charged in reference to the ganja, she was not tried for any drug offences.
Detective Windell Reid, the investigating officer, instructed the courtroom that the recovered firearm bore a putting resemblance to the weapon Peterkin had beforehand been licensed to hold. That firearm had been seized by the Firearm Licensing Authority amid a separate investigation.
Peterkin, who maintained her innocence, took the witness stand in her personal defence throughout the trial, which was presided over by Supreme Court docket Justice Calys Wiltshire. She testified that she earned a residing via a automotive rental enterprise and clothes gross sales.
The Space 5 Fugitive Apprehension Group — a unit established to pursue high-priority suspects with pending case information — led the operation that led to Peterkin’s arrest. In keeping with Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake, the unit was launched to deal with the rising variety of needed people linked to critical crimes.
In keeping with Jamaica Gleaner, Peterkin reportedly got here below the police radar following a high-profile Beryllium theft in Portmore in 2023, though no fees have been laid towards her in that case.
The entertainer has had a number of earlier run-ins with the legislation. In 2016, she was listed as lacking on the Jamaica Constabulary Pressure’s web site. It was later revealed, nevertheless, that she had been detained by legislation enforcement authorities in america.
On the time, Ruffian defined that she had travelled to New York for an occasion. Whereas en path to the venue, the person assigned to select her up ran a purple mild, and police later found marijuana within the car.
Regardless of insisting she was merely within the unsuitable place on the unsuitable time, Ruffian was detained by U.S. authorities. She returned to Jamaica in 2017.
