Woman held with fake job letter at US embassy

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell chided the actions of a 26-year-old woman, who attempted to obtain a United States visa by submitting false documents.

"What you did was foolish, what you did was dishonest, and I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you. I wouldn't be surprised if you come back here because your factory setting is dishonesty," the senior judge charged.

Her comments were aimed at Lori-Ann Roberts, an aesthetician. It was reported that Roberts tendered a fake job letter in support of her visa application, and when checked, it was verified that she was never employed to the government agency that she claimed.

"It was her first time and she went straight to wrongdoing. There is a level of default dishonesty in this country that is something we need to deal with. I have too many lazy young people here, and when I say lazy, I mean too lazy to think," Burrell said.

Attorney-at-law Damion Heslop begged the senior jurist to exercise leniency with his client, who pleaded guilty to forgery, uttering forged documents and attempting to obtain by forged documents. The prosecution withdrew one count of conspiracy to defraud.

"The punishment has to match the crime, I'm sorry," the senior judge said.

Roberts was fined $50,000 or 30 days imprisonment on each count, and was made the subject of a fingerprint order.

- T.T.