Court of Appeal Rejects Woman’s Plea To Reduce 9.5-Year Sentence For Importing Package Containing 5.22 Grams of Fentanyl.

By Alric Lindsay

The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Renae Hamilton, upholding her nine-and-a-half-year prison sentence for importing fentanyl and ganja from California and laundering $70,000.

Hamilton and her co-accused partner, Dorman Dowaine Salmon, appeared before the appellate court via video link today, November 12, 2026, following their earlier convictions and sentencing in the Grand Court before the Honourable Justice Peters.

While the Court proceeded to hear arguments in Hamilton’s case—represented by defence attorney Crister Brady—Salmon’s appeal was adjourned after it emerged he had no legal representation.

Salmon Told to Instruct Counsel

Addressing the Bench directly via video link, Salmon told the judges he was appealing his sentence simply because the prison term imposed was “too harsh.”

The Court of Appeal explained that the hearing had been scheduled at the Court’s request to clarify the formal grounds of appeal. Judges informed Salmon that if he wished to pursue his challenge against his sentence, he must contact and retain an attorney.

Defence Challenges Sentence Structure and Role

Proceeding with Hamilton’s application, Brady argued across multiple grounds that the overall sentence of nine years and six months was excessive.

In the Grand Court, both Hamilton and Salmon were convicted by a jury of being concerned in the importation of fentanyl and being concerned in a money laundering arrangement, and both pleaded guilty to importing ganja. Justice Peters sentenced each of them to eight years for the fentanyl importation, a consecutive term of 18 months for money laundering, and a concurrent 12-month term for the ganja.

During today’s hearing, Brady accepted that fentanyl sits at the very top end of drug potency, but argued that the physical amount seized—5.22 grams, comprising 51 tablets—placed the offence at the lower end of the scale. He contended that a seven-year starting point was too high and accused the lower court of “double counting” by treating the matter as a large-scale operation.

The Court of Appeal pushed back on that submission, reminding counsel that to succeed on appeal, a sentence must be shown to be “manifestly excessive,” not merely at the higher end of a sentencing judge’s range.

Brady also questioned the sentencing uplift applied by Justice Peters regarding the severe impact of hard drugs on a small community and Cayman’s position as a transshipment point.

Acknowledging that the $70,000 money laundering arrangement was a significant sum, Brady argued that because the funds were tied to the drug dealing, the money laundering offence was not far enough removed to justify a consecutive 18-month sentence. Brady wanted that part of the sentence to be concurrwnt rather than consecutive.

Brady emphasized that Hamilton had no prior convictions, calling nearly a decade behind bars a heavy penalty for someone with an otherwise clean background.

Arguing that Justice Peters erred in treating the couple as equal partners, Brady contended that Hamilton acted as a “lieutenant” under Salmon’s direction, even though she was the one who physically collected the package from California during a controlled delivery.

Judges Point to WhatsApp Evidence

The appellate judges questioned Brady’s portrayal of Hamilton as a subordinate participant, asking whether WhatsApp messages adduced at trial undermined his argument, as Hamilton appeared “enthusiastic” in the communications.

Brady maintained there was a distinction between having knowledge of the enterprise and holding the authority to direct operations, arguing that Salmon’s messages demonstrated knowledge alongside separate roles within the relationship.

Representing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Senior Crown Counsel Brian Treadwell appeared alongside Crown Counsel Scott Wainwright and addressed the Bench on behalf of the Crown.

At the outset of the hearing, Treadwell noted that the appeal bundles had only been transmitted to the Court that morning. Addressing the substantive sentence, he reminded the judges that both defendants had pleaded not guilty and contested the main charges at trial, resulting in the structured nine-and-a-half-year total sentence.

Appeal Dismissed

After considering the submissions, the Court of Appeal formally granted Hamilton leave to appeal, giving her arguments full consideration, before dismissing the appeal and leaving her nine-year, six-month sentence intact.

Note to readers

See previous story below:

Cayman Court Sentences Couple To Nine Years & Six Months For Money Laundering & Importation Of Fentanyl & Ganja Delivered In A Package From California