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Several persons of questionable character got gun licences

Firearm Licensing Authority granted gun licences to individuals who were convicted for drug-related offences on at least 13 occasions between 2012 to 2018.

The troubling finding is contained in a draft report to Parliament, which was tabled in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The report said that there were at least four instances in which licences were granted to individuals who were convicted for lottery scamming and/or fraudulent offences. The report further said that firearm licences were denied and subsequently granted to individuals who were convicted for violent crimes in at least seven instances. Firearm user licences were denied and subsequently granted to individuals who were convicted for the offence of illegal possession of firearm in at least three instances.

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Montague approves firearm permit for alleged scammer

An alleged lottery scammer, who was arrested and charged for being in possession of personal information of a US citizen, was among those granted a firearm licence by former national security minister, Robert Montague.

The man is alleged to be a member of a gang and was reported to be in possession of an illegal firearm. His firearm user licence was revoked on September 29, 2015, but was thereafter granted on December 16, 2016 following an appeal to Montague.

According the the report of the Integrity Commission, Montague told the then Office of the Contractor General that the persons attended several meetings during his campaign to win St Mary Western in the 2016 general election.

A concerned citizen wrote to the FLA on September 11, 2015 and described the applicant as "...very hostile and aggressive and [not] able to restrain himself".

The letter writer also claimed that "he has been arrested and charged for lottery scamming and is still involved in the illicit trade".

"Granting a firearm user's licence to the applicant at this time would be a great threat to himself and others who...he may come in contact with," the letter writer said.

The FLA, having received the letter, requested an updated report from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to "assist in informing the Honourable Minister's final decision".

The NIB, having done additional enquiries, said it could not confirm the allegations made against the applicant.

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Ex-convict gets legal weapon

A man, who was convicted of the offences of unlawful wounding, illegal possession of a firearm and shooting with intent, was granted a gun licence. His application for a firearm user licence was initially denied in June 2016 by Dennis Meadows, retired judge, Justice Marva McIntosh and Granville Gause on the basis that the applicant is not a fit-and-proper person based on adverse findings received.

However, three months later the man's application for a gun licence was approved by Meadows, Gause and June Spence-Jarrett.

In another case, a deportee man who the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) found to be a member of a prominent gang based in Clarendon and was reported to be involved in drug trafficking activities and money laundering, was granted a firearm licence.

His application for a firearm user licence was initially denied on August 24, 2015, but was approved on October 14, 2016.

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Bunting greenlights authorisation to businessman charged with trafficking cocaine

Former national security minister, Peter Bunting, granted a firearm licence to a businessman who was charged with trafficking of cocaine, larceny and grand theft in the United States of America.

The businessman had left Jamaica for Florida to undergo training as a pilot for two and a half years, but during this time, he was arrested and charged with the offences.

His antecedents became known following investigations by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), an elite unit in the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

According to a draft report tabled in Parliament, the businessman was the holder of firearm licences for a Springfield 9mm pistol and a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun up until September 21, 2012, when both firearm user's licences were revoked.

The revocation of the gun licences came after the businessman applied for another firearm user's licence. However, when the NIB conducted its checks as a result of the new application, it was found that the businessman was charged with the serious offences in the USA.

His firearm user's licence was revoked on September 4, 2012, on the basis that he misrepresented himself in his application and could no longer be considered fit and proper to be issued with a firearm.

However, the charges were expunged by the Miami Dade Circuit Court in July 17, 2013.

Bunting granted approval for the issuance of a firearm licence to him in October 2014.

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Meadows implicated in brother-in-law's case

Dennis Meadows, former deputy chairman of the Firearm Licensing Authority, approved a firearm user licence application for his brother-in-law, an applicant who was convicted of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine in the United States of America.

The draft report of the Integrity Commission tabled in Parliament said that there is no written record of a declaration of a conflict of interest made by Meadows.

The former deputy chairman told the Integrity Commission that he declared the matter, but the commission said it was not provided with any formal record to support his claim.

"He had applied before and was denied. He was previously deported from the US. He received a favourable view from the investigator but was denied on the basis that he failed to state his conviction on his application. I took it upon myself, without any asking from [him], to go to the CEO and the board to declare my interest," Meadows told the investigator.

"The board then made a favourable decision without me being a part of the decision-making process. However, after the decision was made, I subsequently learnt that I was one of the signatory, a fact that I didn't recall."

He added: "In hindsight, I regret affixing my signature as there is an inescapable perception of conflict."