Last night, you heard Police Commissioner Chester Williams discussing a high-speed police chase, which led to a bust of 71 pounds of marijuana. Well tonight, the accused drug trafficker who police have tied to all that weed is out on bail.
He is 29-year-old Dion Mark Gutierrez Sr., a construction worker from Ladyville, and police have charged him with the offense of possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply, 28.714 kilograms of marijuana.
He appeared before Magistrate Stephanie Gillett for the drug trafficking charge, and he pleaded not guilty. At his arraignment, Alifa Elrington, the Head of Prosecution, strongly objected to bail. She told the court that the prosecution's case is strong against Gutierrez and that he was found in possession of all that weed. She pointed out how he refused to stop the vehicle when the cops ordered him to do so, and that he later fled the scene, and abandoned the vehicle when the cops chased him. From Elrington's perspective, these elements of the case display that he is a flight risk and that he may not show up to take responsibility for the huge amount of drugs.
Orson "OJ" Elrington, the defense attorney representing Gutierrez, urged the court that bail is a constitutionally protected right, and that confinement shouldn't be used as a punishment. He reminded the court that Gutierrez is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
After considering the submissions, Magistrate Gillett granted Gutierrez bail of $20,000 with the conditions that he has to surrender his travel document, and that he cannot leave the country without the express permission of the court.
As we reported, Gutierrez was busted on Wednesday evening at the Manatee Lookout, police checkpoint between Miles 7 and 8 on the Philip Goldson Highway.
Police allege that he was found with that large quantity of marijuana inside his red Volkswagon car. It was later found abandoned after he fled the checkpoint, and the cops are still looking for the other man he was with.
