bahamiangoddess
04-29-08, - 12:23 PM
Former gaming board inspector sentenced
By ARTESIA DAVIS, Guardian Senior Reporter, artesia@nasguard.com
A Fort Lauderdale judge has sentenced Bahamian gaming board inspector Teron Fowler to 70 months in prison for conspiring to import 21 kilos of cocaine, with a wholesale street value of $630,000, into Florida. Fowler will be on three years probation following his release from prison.
Fowler, 33, who is also known as "Limey", was arrested on a sealed indictment last November when he traveled to Miami on a false passport. That indictment alleged a drug conspiracy that began in November 2006 and ended on December 26, 2006.
Fowler signed a plea agreement in January. He had faced a maximum penalty of 10 years to life, but prosecutor Joanne Fine asked Judge James Cohn to reduce the sentence that was suggested by the probation office by 15 percent, to reflect Fowler's assistance to prosecutors.
Fowler was reportedly the cause of the Cabinet meeting fight between then Gaming Board chairman Kenyatta Gibson and Fowler's lawyer, Keod Smith, who was serving as the ambassador to the environment.
Gibson had fired Fowler from his post as a gaming board inspector and Smith allegedly confronted the former chairman about the dismissal.
At the time, Fowler claimed that Gibson was the lawyer for Larry Butler, who had entered into a contract to buy Fowler's home, which he was renting on Johnson Road. But the deal fell through and Fowler returned the $20,000 deposit to Gibson on May 18. The following day, Fowler evicted the Butlers from his home. And Fowler claimed that Gibson fired him from his job on May 22.
Fowler was later reinstated and worked as an inspector until his arrest on November 12.
By ARTESIA DAVIS, Guardian Senior Reporter, artesia@nasguard.com
A Fort Lauderdale judge has sentenced Bahamian gaming board inspector Teron Fowler to 70 months in prison for conspiring to import 21 kilos of cocaine, with a wholesale street value of $630,000, into Florida. Fowler will be on three years probation following his release from prison.
Fowler, 33, who is also known as "Limey", was arrested on a sealed indictment last November when he traveled to Miami on a false passport. That indictment alleged a drug conspiracy that began in November 2006 and ended on December 26, 2006.
Fowler signed a plea agreement in January. He had faced a maximum penalty of 10 years to life, but prosecutor Joanne Fine asked Judge James Cohn to reduce the sentence that was suggested by the probation office by 15 percent, to reflect Fowler's assistance to prosecutors.
Fowler was reportedly the cause of the Cabinet meeting fight between then Gaming Board chairman Kenyatta Gibson and Fowler's lawyer, Keod Smith, who was serving as the ambassador to the environment.
Gibson had fired Fowler from his post as a gaming board inspector and Smith allegedly confronted the former chairman about the dismissal.
At the time, Fowler claimed that Gibson was the lawyer for Larry Butler, who had entered into a contract to buy Fowler's home, which he was renting on Johnson Road. But the deal fell through and Fowler returned the $20,000 deposit to Gibson on May 18. The following day, Fowler evicted the Butlers from his home. And Fowler claimed that Gibson fired him from his job on May 22.
Fowler was later reinstated and worked as an inspector until his arrest on November 12.