Magistrate Michael Laudat has imposed a $5,000.00 forthwith fine against former government minister and now Special Envoy in the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr. Kenneth Darroux who pleaded guilty to two firearm-related offenses preferred against him by the police.
Dr. Darroux, along with port officer Chrisroy Fontaine, appeared before the Roseau Magistrate Court today, January 24, 2024, jointly charged with importation of two firearm accessories without being the holders of a firearm importation license. The pair opted for a summary trial and Dr. Darroux pleaded guilty whilst his co-defendant entered a plea of not guilty.
The charge of the police stated that on January 16, 2024, Dr. Darroux of Bellevue Chopin and Fontaine of Bagatelle imported into Dominica one Glock 19 barrel and one Glock 17 slide without being the holders of a firearm importation license.
Succeeding their pleas, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple, who led the State’s case, presented the facts against Dr. Darroux. According to the information presented in Court, Dr. Darroux, a medical doctor by profession, on January 16, 2024, imported a box into Dominica that contained personal and household items.
Upon examination by a Customs Officer of the box contents, the contents of the box revealed an undeclared Glock 19 barrel and Glock 17 slide, not disclosed by Dr. Darroux. Subsequently, the items were confiscated, and the incident was reported to the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) for further investigation.
On January 23, 2024, Dr. Darroux met the investigating officer at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and she informed him of the matter against him she was investigating, to which he responded, “I wanted to come since yesterday but was advised to come today.”
The police investigator subsequently conducted a written interview with Dr. Darroux during which he admitted to purchasing the items online and forwarding them to an address in the USA which was then shipped to Dominica.
After the police investigation, the two charges were preferred against Dr. Darroux.
During the presentation, the DPP sought consultation with the investigating officer and requested a brief adjournment, citing deficiencies in the prosecution’s evidence. Defense attorney Lennox Lawrence objected, asserting that the prosecution should be trial-ready and the case should be triable before coming to Court. Lawrence argued for discontinuation of the matter due to a lack of prosecution readiness. The DPP defended the adjournment, citing the defendant’s rights and public interest.
The presiding magistrate denied next-day adjournment but also stated that it was not in the public interest to dismiss the case and adjourned the matter to 2:00 p.m.
When the matter returned to Court, the DPP presented the report of the expert firearm examiner as evidence along with the written interview conducted with Dr. Darroux. The facts were accepted by the defendant. Upon the case’s return to court, the DPP submitted the expert firearm examiner’s report and the written interview with Dr. Darroux as evidence. The defendant acknowledged and accepted the presented facts.
During the plea in mitigation, the defendant’s attorney, Lawrence, assisted by Jodie Luke, informed the Court that Dr. Darroux has been a firearms license holder for a decade with two valid licenses for a Glock 19 firearm. Based on instruction from his client, the Glock 19 barrel corresponds to the mentioned firearm. However, the Glock 17 slide was a result of a shipping error, as both accessories were intended for use with his registered firearm.
He asserted that Dr. Darroux genuinely believed that his firearm license was adequate for ordering accessories, unaware of the requirement for an importation license. The attorney further argued that the accessories do not constitute a complete firearm, emphasizing the distinction between having accessories and possessing an actual gun.
Lawrence averred that no aggravating factors were evident in this case, highlighting that the components were not utilized in the commission of a crime. He emphasized the defendant’s complete cooperation with the police, surrendering willingly to law enforcement. He contended that the medical doctor and current Special Envoy in the Office of the Prime Minister is a valuable and upstanding member of society and instrumental in his community. He argued against imposing a custodial sentence, stating that it would serve no useful purpose given the defendant’s character and contributions.
The attorney urged the Court to maintain consistency in administering justice, citing previous cases involving non-nationals importing, exporting, and possessing firearms and ammunition. In these instances, the Court imposed fines below the maximum of $15,000.00.
Lawrence recommended an appropriate sentence for the court to reprimand Dr. Darroux and discharge him. He appealed for leniency, asking the court to have mercy on the defendant, noting his genuine remorse and characterizing the incident as a simple mistake.
Alternatively, if the court leans towards imposing a fine, Lawrence suggested it should be in the range of $1,000.00 to $1,500.00, emphasizing that no custodial sentence is warranted under the circumstances.
“Do not deal with him as someone who is just ordering guns,” Lawrence declared. “The public interest is not served by penalizing him for the crimes of others. Peter must not pay for Paul and Paul pays for all. Don’t let him carry the sins of other offenders.”
The maximum penalty for the offense stands at $15,000.00 or seven years of imprisonment or fine and confinement. Magistrate Laudat, in delivering his judgment, declared that, given the public’s interest, he would not adhere to the sentencing guidelines. Recognizing the alarming prevalence of firearm-related offenses in Dominica, which has sparked public outcry, he asserted the necessity to deviate and impose a fitting sentence that sends a strong message.
The presiding magistrate emphasized that ignorance of the law is no excuse and underscored the need to address the widespread issue of firearms. Consideration was given to the fact that Dr. Darroux is a first-time offender who cooperated with the police and promptly pleaded guilty. The Court imposed a fine of $3,000.00, with a default of six
months imprisonment, for the charge of importing a Glock 19 barrel.
On the second charge of importing a Glock 17 slide, a fine of $2,000.00 was imposed, with a default sentence of six months imprisonment. The fines were paid and Dr. Darroux left the courtroom. The prosecution offered no evidence in the case against Fontaine and the charges against him were dismissed.
Hello and good evening my people. Dr Darroux is a very dangerous criminal who understands the law but he tried to get around it. Now he has a license to carry a firearm in Dominica but know where does his license say he can import firearms or parts of a firearm. The barrel or slide of a firearm is an important part of the firearm and not accessories because one can’t used the firearm if it’s missing such parts. I have to wonder how many firearms did he actually brought into Dominica by shipping the firearm in pieces and then reassembling it. I say lock him up for sux months .
Whereas, Darrou plead guilty of committing this crime which is a criminal offense, will he as a convicted felon who committed a felony remain an envoy to Roosevelt Skerrit?
An envoy is a representative messenger, someone on diplomatic mission!
This is shameful, for one; called doctor, with a medical degree, rather than practice medicine, he has become a messenger to a little boy a corrupted crook whom could be his son.
There is no wonder he has turned to committing crimes of felony!
We now wonder how many felonies have this criminal committed while in a ministry of government, and even when he played doctor.
It would be interesting to know how many of the women patients he may have violated.
I still contend this is just another political plot, rather than $5,000.00 without delay, why wasn’t he giving six months in jail?
What’s next; will the felon continue to dabble in Roosevelt office as his messenger, or his yard foul, or a lapdog?
What a shame!
Could it be that he is one of Melissa’s
SNIPERS
NAVY SEALS or SOLDIERS? What a travesty of justice! Jail was where he belonged. People like him are dangerous elements amongst law abiding citizens.
This is a perfect case for the AG, DPP and prosecutor(s) involved in this matter to appeal the sanction handed down by the magistrate. This is too glaring not to be construed as BAD judgement on the part of the magistrate. You see, my country will never get better because the laws are written and enforced to control the “brokes” and less fortunate.
This is a clear cut case where all those involved appear to have colluded on this speedy trial hence the result. This cabal has abused Ma Dominique and its time to “cut them out” and label all of the “wanted”. Dca is really a “whole planet”.
Waiting for February 25th to see what we Dcans will do. Hopefully this time we will not leave the demonstration until the SOS and his cabal resign. They must go!
You know. if you look at events from a non-partisan perspective for one minute, you will begin to understand them and why Dominicans do not currently have an alternative to the DLP.
Why would the AG appeal the sentence when the verdict was preordained before the trial? Do you believe there wasn’t discussions between the various parties after he was arrested and before the trial? Why do think his sentence was different from that of the American evangelist who lived in Belfast? The same guy whose wife was detained and they also wanted to detain the child.
These two crimes are one and the same, but the treatment of the suspects was vastly different.
This is a kangaroo court.
Police all over grand bay waking up people in their beds searching for it. But when they find them coming down they do nothing about it. I’m pretty sure it’s not the first time he’s brought down guns, apparently they bringing it down in pieces so maybe other pieces have to come. The lady that did the voice note lost her job, wondering if he going to lose his.
You deserved a dark prison cell, but the justice system here is only for the bare foot man with an ordinary surname, so you escape it. I am sorry for the young men who are following you!
my question is who judging the judge? He should be in jail for not following the law of land. We need a judge like Follow, thief a colgate, pay $1000
How did he “not follow the law of the land?” The same law and procedures that are available to you and I were employed by his lawyers on his behalf. If you can field one shred of evidence to corroborate your foolish statement post it here. Otherwise, refrain from repeating nonsense.
One thing in Dominica – we love to be ignorant. A slide and a barrel are not “accessories” they are core components or parts of a gun. And according to the act, parts of a gun in and off themselves, being together or separate will be considered a firearm.
So it can be said he attempted to import 2 firearms. Whether or not he was aware his license to “keep and use firearm and ammunition” authorized him to import firearm components is questionable haha. The license is pretty clear what it allows (as a firearms license holder myself) and the importation of gun parts or components is not allowed.
An accessory would be something like a holster, to safely carry your weapon etc. It’s not a part or core component of a gun.
All the same DNO – please report accurately – lest the court of law start prosecuting law abiding firearms holders for ordering accessories to safely keep their weapons.
You do realize that you are seeking to publicly redefine components of the legislation just so it can fit your motives, right? The law is the law. You may disagree with the definition therein but you should not seek to bend the facts just because you wish to throw mud on Darroux.
so as a gun has 5 main components if he imported one does that mean that technically he imported 5 guns ?
Exactly… When people think gun they think the literal gun well put together. But criminals are smart. Just dismount the thing, it makes it easier to hide unless you know what it’s looking for. So they doing that makes you see that their intention wasn’t good. Had they not been caught, it would be just another unregistered gun on the road.
The justice system in Dominica is biased and corrupt. I heard a so-called experienced journalist this morning in a radio interview unbelievably commending the court for the miniscule fine meted out to Mr. Darroux for such a serious crime. Experience is the greatest teacher but not in the case where one has experience in dong the wrong thing.
Let us be honest here. If Mr. Lennox Linton or Thomson Fontajne were charged with the importation of illegal gun parts, would they have gotten such leniency by this said court? They would have been dragged over white, hot coals without a doubt.
I do not have any empirical evidence. However, I strongly submit that this is most likely not the first time this port officer did a ‘favor’ for Dr. Darroux.
The Dominica of Skerrit has two sets of laws for two categories of people and Dr Darroux is in that special category that can break any law and will be treated as king. Here we have a law for the rich that’s different from the law for the poor and Dr Darroux is in the rich category. We have a law for Skerrit and his acolytes that’s different from the none acolytes even if non acolytes are Laborites and acolytes are not in love with Skerrit like Dr Darroux. Then a law for Skerrit Laborites and one for nonlaborites and Dr Darroux is a member of the Skerrit labor party even if Skerrit humiliated him and the likes of Blackmore to ensure that they can never challenge his prime ministership. In fact Darroux might even be getting more money than when he was an elected minister of cabinet. So Dr Darroux is in the right club and no wonder he didn’t spend a night in the cell or jail for such a serious crime. Trust me non vocal Skerritites would spend at least a week with the rats in jail
There is a lesson here for the opposition, though. Instead of wasting the Court’s time and taxpayers’ money in a drawn-out process, Darroux accepts responsibility for his actions, admits guilt, requests a summary trial, and (I hope) has paid or will pay his fine forthwith.
Thomson Fontaine et al should take a line out of this chapter.
@Putin
There is no lesson there, your shameless and unethical sycophant. it just shows how the criminal justice system has failed Dominicans. It will come down hard on nobodys like you that this administration has no use for, but will not function when its fod those bad exsmples.
Thats all.
Oh, I am not surprised that you willfully missed the lesson. You have been doing so since 2000. This is why you and your ilk will remain in the yard.
There’s no lesson here. That gun was illegally brought down, cant be registered. Who you think would be using it? A law abiding citizen that gets his gun from the police station? or someone that just want to get a gun from a padna. Use your head, Daroux will not be riding around with an illegal gun, that gun was going to be sold. Next thing, you or your loved one taking money out the ATM, and someone shoots and robs them with that gun. You guys need to see the big picture.
I wonder how many Dominicans would get this slap on the wrist….Reasons why we are the Caribbean’s laughing stock. We celebrate bad examples amongst us, and try to denegrate those who want a better Dominica.
This guy is no good example to young people!
Can we ever trust the courts in Dominica to deliver justice? This $5 000 fine is for petty crimes. Where is the outrage from the whole of society?
Society begins to disintegrate the day we remain stoically silent about things that matter. Hardly any other thing has done more harm and damage, and caused more pain than gun crimes. To allow this unlicensed, unauthorised importer of ammunition to get off so lightly is a colossal travesty of justice.
This frivolous sentence has made a complete mockery of the justice system. The trial was nothing more than injustice elegantly dressed up in disguise.
What do you mean “unauthorized importer”?
In my world I call them smugglers. Stop being so kind to these bastards.
In Dominica it’s all about double standards!
If they did that as an example, it has backfired; Laudat should have sent him to jail.
Puppet Blackmoor a few weeks ago tried to bribe people to turn their guns over to his goons! That is because they want to leave the people defenseless. Meanwhile Darroaux might be preparing for the pending civil war.
I would hope more citizens would arm themselves for the inevitable day.
My concern at the moment is the double standard, treat all equal, any other Dominican Laudat would have confined them to stock farm. We remember Roosevelt friend the one who claimed he sold crab which earned him millions of dollars to build a series of villers (apartments) in Portsmouth. He was arrested, they took the gun from him. Rather than send him to jail, the court set him free, and gave back to him the same unlawful gun.
We should ask Laudat find out and disclose the source of money he used to pay instantly!
Birds of a feather flock together, magistrates too
There is no justice system in Dominica.
DNO…you.might want to look into the reason why Thompson Fontaine had to spend a night in the cell because he arrived on the island at a time when the court was not in session while they made special arrangements for Darroux to be accommodated to allow him to post bail the same day after the court would normally be closed.
Also why wasn’t Darroux charged with the same offences as that American evangelist who was locked up along with his wife for illegal importation of a firearm.
Why the double standard? Who can respect the judicial system when it is clear some people are treated differently than others?
The fact that you don’t understand what you consider to be differences between this case and others does not mean that her is “double standards” here. No two cases are identical and therefore, no two cases can be judged in the same manner.
Dominica is not even a distant cousin of a democracy. Here is a former minister of government, a present envoy in the Office of the Prime Minister, pled guilty for the importation of illegal ammunition, and got a slap on the wrist by the most corrupt judicial system in the entire western hemisphere.
The precedent has been set as of today. If justice is blind as it should be, any young thug who goes before the court for possession of illegal guns and ammunition, should get be charged a measly $5 000.
Will Dr. Darroux still work in the Prime Minister Office? I will not be surprised if this convicted doctor continues in his present job. The present dictatorship is a concoction of bandits, gangsters, felons, crooks, outlaws.
I can remember some years ago I was reading on this same DNO, A man was caught in statehouse property…picking two little force ripe sour grapefruit. The man was sent up for more than a year…cause he couldn’t pay what he was charged. Now the Minister of National Security have how much press conference, tuff on guns, or we make gun laws stricter etc. I myself bet with somebody how justice going to be served under the full extent of the law cause of all the talk on illegal guns entering etc etc. Long story short, I need a Gofundme set up cause I owe the person $5000. I lose the bet. I’ll keep my eyes peeled to see the charge the next time someone is caught bringing in guns.
A guy attempts to smuggle guns into Dominica and he is fined. A poor person shoplifts a block of cheese at Witchurch and he is sent to prison.
What kind of judicial system is this? Prison for the poor, bit a small fine for the more recognized person?
Does that make any sense to any fair minded and right thinking person?
What must these people do for them to be sentenced to a prison term? Is the prison only reserved for certain types of people?
Dominica is a true Banana Republic.
I remember in April 2022 a 75 year old man was fined , license revoked for importing a firearm into Dominica. He already had a license firearm which got rusted during hurricane Maria. He imported the firearm the same way he did FOR HIS FIRST GUN when he returned from the US in the early 2000’s . He presented himself with the old gun case to the customs that he has come to clear his new gun. HIS LICENSE WAS REVOKED, HE WAS CHARGED,THE OLD AND NEW GUNS WERE SEIZED. I WONDER IF THE LICENSE OF DARROUX WILL BE REVOKED AS WELL AND HIS CURRENT FIREARM SEIZED?? IS FOR ONE SET ALONE IN DE ONEMANWEALTH.
https://natureisle.news/news-desk/courts/seventy-five-year-old-man-fined-for-importation-of-firearm-without-license/
There is no excuse for this type of behaviour. Any intelligent person who owns a firearm, along with a valid firearm license for ten years should know every law that deals with this subject, ESPECIALLY a former law-maker. More garbage being thrown at the Dominican people. How much more s–t are we going to accept?
Mr. Magistrate I am very disappointed in the sentence.
Why NOT the maximum under the law and also confined to Mr. Kenrick’s Hotel at Stocky? And don’t give me that rubbish that its his first offense either. His corrupt government threatens people so much reference guns and what they will be doing to those caught . So it seems all along it was to scare those outside the cabal while cabalists were stocking up on arms and ammunition. Is it because they now fear the people because of what they have done to them? So they want all kinds of illegal guns while disarming others through intimidation. Well I have news for them. No more surrendering of so called illegal guns.
Gunslinger Darroux should have been jailed just like others. Am I to assume that the barrels of guns found on the port are tied to cabalists? By the way what ever happened to the said barrels of guns? I dare say that Danny Lugay got some justice after all very though late. Jah is watching!
You remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man ofLuke 16:19-31? I know we were not born when that story took place but look the very corrupt and unjust judiciary of Roosevelt Skerrit just gave us a reminder of how bad it was . But they can’t fool us because by now we all know it’s a false game of justice
What? aren’t these serious charges in Dominica? And a magistrate trial and guilty plea presents a $5000.00 fine?
OMG, this will open up a can of worms. That judgement is not the example that needs to be sent to the public. That judgement will encourage copy-cat actions, and Dominica will sink further and faster into the lawless society that it is becoming. We know who is involved and who pulls the strings, and as the universe always dictate, we will see the marionettes(string pullers) soon being prey of the puppets.
But hear them nou $5090.09 EC dollars to be paid by a Skerrit’s former government minister and present special envoy in Skerrit office.
Gason a pound of weed is approximately $2000 $US dollars.
A killiogram of crack cocaine is approximately $13k to $26k US
A regular CBI passport is approximately $209j USD and more for a diplomatic passport
We all know that illegal guns and drugs usually go together and you getting a chance to make a money god pay so others could learn and you pinching him?
Hahahahahahaha. What a big joke boy by those actors and actresses. Is he going to keep his position as Skerrit’s special envoy in the prime minister’s office?
One law for the Labour party bandits and another law for the rest of the country! Dominica is on her knees to those bandits!
@Truth Be Told
CORRECT. A bad example like this guy should be locked up. He seem obsessed with guns!
And the joke continues. I wait to see what the poor mans child will be charged.
the case against him was dismissed, read to understand