Today a boutique owner and a minor were ordered to spend the next three years in jail- and it’s all because of gun possession. Today thirty two year Ellington Ottley, the business owner of Buy Low Fashion Boutique at number twelve Daly Street and his teenaged employee, a seventeen year old young man were found guilty of keeping a prohibited three fifty seven magnum, eleven live rounds of 357 ammunition and guilty of trafficking four hundred and sixty seven grams of weed. Both pleaded not guilty to Magistrate Judge Tracy Sosa.
The businessman told the court that he believes he was set up and the young employee, who was sixteen years old and a student at the time, claims he had only just started working that day on January eight when the police showed up to conduct a search of the premises. According to court reports the police discovered the firearm, and ammunition stashed away inside a barrel in back room, the gun and ammo were wrapped in a towel. The drugs apparently were discovered as it was stashed down a staircase
The seventeen year old employee told the court that when the police showed up he was not worried as he knew that nothing was illegal in the store and when the discovery was made he had no idea that the gun, ammo and drugs were in the boutique. The seventeen year old told the court he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. As for the employer, Ellington Ottley explained to the court that on that same day he had a suspicious feeling about his girlfriend who was at the store as she left shortly after he arrived. Furthermore Ottley explained that other persons were also working at the shop at the time and that he had no dealing with the stock taking of the business
Both the seventeen year old and Ellington Ottley were given a total of nine years but because the sentences are to run concurrently they will spend only three years behind bars. Both of the accused say they plan to appeal their sentence.
It is interesting to note that on January ninth when both Ellington Ottley and the minor were arraigned on the charges the minor pled guilty but the Director of Public Prosecution’s office rejected the guilty plea because they believe the minor was trying to take the rap for his employer who they believe is the owner of the firearm, ammo and drugs.
Also of note is that court records reveal that Ellington Ottley and his girlfriend have another drug matter pending in court. According to court reports the couple had just only been charged with drug trafficking on January seventh, the day before the police conducted the search of the boutique.
