Octobe 29, 2009
Drug dealer jailed for five years
A Bedford man convicted of earning money from drug dealing, which he then sent to Jamaica, America and Canada has been jailed for five years.
But Fitzroy Williams has gone to jail still maintaining his innocence, Luton Crown Court was told on Wednesday 28 October.
Williams, 33, was found to have moved more than £60,000 out of the UK between June 2004 and 3 January 2009, when he was earning a minimal wage from car valeting. The prosecution said there was no legitimate explanation for how he had enough money to support his family here and abroad.
Williams, of Crow Road, Bedford, was also found guilty at Luton Crown Court earlier this month of being concerned in making an offer to supply crack cocaine to an undercover police officer.
He had pleaded not guilty to that charge and also to transferring criminal property but was convicted of both charges by the jury.
Matthew Kirk, defending, told the court: "He continues to assert his innocence. He is devoted to his children here and is ashamed of the jury's findings. The amount of money involved may seem substantial but it was spread over a five-year period. The practice of sending money back to family in Jamaica is a very common one."
Recorder Peter Freeman told Williams: "I accept you have done your best to look after your family but you made money from dealing in Class A drugs, which you deny, but which the jury found you guilty of. You have had the courage to turn up and face your sentence today, which is good."
Williams had been granted bail following his conviction, knowing he would receive a substantial prison sentence.
At his trial, prosecutor Brian Argyle told the jury that on11 December 2008 an undercover officer using the name Dave was in Midland Road, Bedford. He approached a man to see if he could supply him with crack cocaine.
The man said he could and borrowed the officer's mobile phone to make a call. They walked into town and Dave saw the man meet another man and then return with the £20 deal.
But inquiries later showed that Williams was in possession of the two £10 notes the officer had used to pay for the drugs, and his mobile phone had received a call from the officer's mobile at the time the dealer had borrowed it.
On 18 February this year, a number of officers searched his then home in Barley Way, Bedford, and seized his laptop, mobile phones and bank records. There was also documentation from two money transfer companies showing the number of transactions he had made, mostly to Jamaica.
When interviewed he made no comment to police questions. But Mr Argyle said: "Police have been unable to identify any legitimate source for the cash and the clear inference is the money was the benefit from his drug dealing."
Williams told the jury that he had been earning money 'cash in hand' from kitchen fitting and car valeting which he had not declared to the Inland Revenue.
He said he was sending money to his mother in Jamaica and two sisters in Canada and America. He said he was also sending money out on behalf of other people who did not have acceptable identification, and he said some other transactions were possibly by someone using his identity.
He denied having anything to do with drug dealing.
Confiscation proceedings will take place at a later date.
