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By Alric Lindsay
Tomy Daniel Martinez Gomez appeared in the Grand Court on June 13, 2025, where he pleaded guilty to several counts, including the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. His bail was extended to August 8, 2025, when his lawyer is expected to argue that “exceptional circumstances” apply in his case.
Background
Regarding the first count, it was explained in court that, contrary to sections 15(1) and 15(5) of the Firearms Act, Gomez had in his possession an unlicensed firearm, namely a Glock .45-calibre pistol, at 190 Eastern Avenue in George Town on March 1, 2025.
Concerning the second count, it was stated, on the same date, that Gomez possessed one magazine containing eight rounds of .45 ammunition.
Regarding the third count, it was said that, on the same date, Gomez possessed one extended capacity magazine containing nine rounds of .45 ammunition.
Next steps
While Gomez pleaded guilty to the above charges, his lawyer noted that a request was made for photographs taken inside Gomez’s car. Some photos were received, but not those that were relied upon by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gomez’s lawyer is expected to argue that exceptional circumstances apply in this case.
In the meantime, Gomez’s bail was extended to August 8, 2025.
Note to readers
In the case of tourists, the court declares that “exceptional circumstances” exist in nearly every case of gun or ammunition possession. The outcome is that the tourists get no conviction recorded and are only fined.
In the case of Caymanians, they typically face imprisonment for lengthy terms for possession of unlicensed firearms (which includes bullets).
To understand the court’s sentencing history for gun possession and the basis for declaring “exceptional circumstances” for tourists but not for Caymanians, Blackbox Insights & News submitted a Freedom of Information request to the courts on December 9, 2024. Records requested included the total number of individuals convicted of importation and/or possession of guns and/or ammunition from 2019 to 2024, a breakdown by citizenship showing the number of these convictions for Caymanians and non-Caymanians, and sentencing information showing the number of years of imprisonment received by Caymanians and non-Caymanians. Seven months later, the information has not been provided.