Fritz Albert McPherson Gets 7 Years Imprisonment While “Momentarily” Possessing A Firearm

By Alric Lindsay

Fritz Albert McPherson, the CEO & owner of McPherson Consulting and well-known in the Cayman Islands for his community involvement and acting in national plays, was sentenced to seven years in prison on December 6, 2024, for his “momentary” possession of a firearm and ammunition.  Justice Richards found no exceptional circumstances that would have qualified McPherson for a further reduction in the sentence.

Background

The Grand Court heard that on July 14, 2023, a man known to McPherson’s tenants as “Rasta” but not previously known to McPherson visited McPherson’s home.

Reportedly, Rasta showed McPherson a gun, at which time McPherson advised Rasta to consider using the police’s gun amnesty program to dispose of the firearm safely.

Subsequently, McPherson excused himself and went into his house to sleep.  Meanwhile, Rasta remained at the house talking to the tenants.

In the early morning, McPherson awoke to a loud banging on his door. Reportedly, he went to his bedroom window and saw a gun on the window ledge.

Realizing that the loud banging was coming from the police and not knowing how the gun got there, McPherson panicked and threw the gun and some ammunition out of the window, fearing that the police would find it.

While completing a search of the home, police looked outside the window and saw a black object.  Outside, the police found a Taurus 9-millimetre pistol with no ammunition in the chamber and another pistol containing several rounds of ammunition.

Inside the house, police found 41 rounds of ammunition.

When asked about the items, McPherson exercised his legal rights and replied, “No comment.”

When a swab was done on the firearm and the magazine, a DNA mixture was found.  However, there was no evidence that the firearm was used.

Sentencing

In the Grand Court, it was stated that the maximum sentence is 20 years imprisonment in each case under section 39 of the Firearms Act.

However, Justice Richards considered that McPherson had no previous convictions, was a man of good character and was a father heavily engaged with his children. In addition, it was noted that McPherson is heavily involved in the community, has an exceptional career and education and was assessed as a low risk of offending.

In the circumstances, Justice Richards summarized McPherson’s sentence as follows:

In addition to the above, Justice Richards sentenced McPherson to 2 years for each count of ammunition possession. However, this time will run simultaneously with the firearm possession charge.

The gun and the ammunition were ordered to be forfeited.

Points of interest

It was implied in the Grand Court hearing that instead of discussing with someone with a gun to deliver it to the police under the police’s gun amnesty program, McPherson “should have dismissed any such persons with connections to firearms and ganja from his house and should have been should have forbidden any tenants from entertaining any such characters.”

This is of interest because McPherson is heavily involved in the community.  In this capacity, he would have counselled numerous persons in various situations.   

Left: McPherson, acting in a local production

McPherson’s outcome may now raise uncertainty for some community volunteers who could momentarily be in the presence of someone they are assisting or helping to resolve an issue but find themselves in unfortunate circumstances when police get involved.

The case may also be of interest because several tourists have reportedly imported guns and ammunition into the Cayman Islands without having to serve jail time. Instead, they were only fined.   Examples of these cases can be seen in the below links:

https://caymanmarlroad.com/2018/01/23/tourist-fined-13000-for-illegal-gun-importation

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