Bartender Caught Importing Drugs From The USA To Cayman Says She Didn’t Know They Were In Her Suitcases. Lawyer Asks Court For Special Treatment & Not To Record It As A Conviction
Ashtyn Harris (image source: Facebook)
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By Alric Lindsay
Today, September 23, 2024, Ashtyn Briana Harris, a United States citizen travelling to Cayman to reportedly work as a bartender at the Kimpton, had the sentencing for her drug importation matter delayed until a later date. The delay allows Magistrate Gunn to consider the reasons outlined by the Grand Court on another matter. Such reasons may impact the way that Magistrate Gunn approaches the sentencing for Harris.
The facts of Harris’ case
Based on the facts, Harris arrived in Grand Cayman on an American Airlines flight from Miami on August 28, 2024.
When questioned, she reportedly “indicated that she arrived on the island to work as a bartender.”
When asked whether she had any CBD THC products, she allegedly told officers she didn’t “ have anything to declare” except for some personal items and work tools.
Officers searched her black suitcase, where they found a multi-coloured toiletry bag “labelled Rainbow 1000 milligrams cannabis infused THC gummies,” along with “mimosa THC gummies.”
Harris allegedly told the officers that she didn’t know the items were in her bag because she packed her bags in a rush and didn’t see them.
Officers continued their search and came upon “a large, clear, vacuum-sealed bag containing clothes.”
Reportedly, there was “a bottle concealed inside a black long-sleeved sweater that contained marijuana.”
Harris allegedly told officers that “her brother had packed that in her bag and she forgot.”
When officers searched her second suitcase, they found vape cartridges. Additionally, they found “mushrooms” and “gummies” (reportedly, it is Harris’ case that she never used mushrooms).
It was explained in Court that Harris’s things were packed haphazardly and she did not know they were in her luggage. In this case, the importation was “unintentional.”
Further explanation was made that the drugs were legal in the state where Harris was travelling from and Harris had been using some of them occasionally to help with her anxiety.
Harris’ lawyer requests special treatment
Based on the circumstances, Harris’ lawyer asked Magistrate Gunn to consider treating the matter in way similarly dealt with in other cases where it was noted that drug importation was unintentional and the drug was legal in the place where the person travelled from to Cayman. That is, the lawyer was asking for Harris to be treated as “an exceptional case and not proceed to conviction.”
Regarding this, Magistrate Gunn commented:
I’ve been listening to what’s been said about how these were distributed between two bags, one concealed in a sweater, and I’m sort of wondering how that fits in with unintentional.”
Magistrate Gunn added:
I would be interested in seeing the Grand Court’s observations about these types of events because it is a relatively new occurrence. Over the last year we’ve been having more and more of these.
While Magistrate Gunn waits to review the Grand Court’s written decision on another matter to assist with the decision on Harris’ sentencing, she suggested that Harris’ sentencing be delayed one week to September 30.
