They were trying to smuggle 10 grams of weed into the Hattieville Prison and tonight two women are lucky they aren't going back to the prison because of it. Instead of confining them, today Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie fined 21-year-old Melissa Allen and her 28 year old Aunt Martha Allen.
They were arrested on July 17th of last year. They went to the prison to visit relatives and when they were searched, guards found the marijuana hidden in a jar of peanut butter. In court both women denied knowing anything about the marijuana.
They told Chief Magistrate McKenzie that they were delivering what they thought was peanut butter as a favor to someone who told them he couldn't get into the prison. McKenzie didn't buy it and they were both convicted of drug trafficking. Both women have clean police records and so instead of a possible jail sentence of 3 years and a fine of ten thousand dollars, she fined them two thousand dollars each. They have until May 6th to pay the fine or they'll face 18 months in prison.
