St James couple on cocaine charges slapped with environmental breaches

Sheena and Chad Headley, the St James couple before the court in relation to the seizure of cocaine valued at $85 million, are facing fresh charges of housing endangered animals.

The St James Parish Court was informed that they have been charged with breaches of the Wildlife Protection Act and the Endangered Species (Protection) Act.

Matthew Ricketts, legal officer for the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), told presiding parish judge Sasha Ashley that there are 146 listed pieces of information on prosecutorial documents concerning the breaches.

Ricketts told the court that the breaches were discovered during a site inspection of the couple's home on June 21, where several enclosures with exotic animals were reportedly found.

“In terms of the state of the file, are you ready?” Ashley asked Ricketts.

“We have one statement that is outstanding so we will ask for another date to get the file ready,” Ricketts responded.

The accused were bound over in relation to the environmental breaches.

Meanwhile, in relation to the cocaine case, the court was told that a forensic certificate and a scene-of-crime report were outstanding from the file.

It was also disclosed that the prosecution was awaiting video footage to be added to its evidence.

As a result, bail for both accused was extended by the court to September 30.

The allegations surrounding the cocaine charges are that on June 15, at about 6 p.m., a team of cops from the Area One Narcotics Police Division carried out an operation at the Headley's premises in Goodwill, St James.

During the search, 10 rectangular-shaped packages identified as cocaine were allegedly found in the trunk of a Toyota Prado SUV belonging to Sheena Headley.

Following an interview session in the presence of her lawyer, Sheena Headley was arrested and charged with breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

The Narcotics Police subsequently issued a release asking Chad Headley to report to the Summit Police Station in Montego Bay, St James, while identifying him as a person of interest who could assist the investigation.

He was later taken into custody and was arrested and charged.

- Christopher Thomas

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