AN American fugitive who has been hiding in the island for the past 12 years will be deported to his homeland after he pleaded guilty to overstaying his visit in the island.
Randy Conney, a 45-year-old gym instructor of Maryland, pleaded guilty when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
Conney, who is wanted in the US for drugs and assault charges, had entered the country in 1999 for a six-month visit and never returned home. He was held on May 1 on premises at West End Road, Negril, during a police operation.
Conney had originally been charged with entering the country illegally as Immigrations had no record of his entry. But the fugitive told the court that he entered the island lawfully using his driver's licence and a birth certificate.
He said further that he had been given a document by Immigrations, which was stolen when thieves broke into his house. Conney also told the court that the Immigration Department would not now have a record of his entry as its record keeping does not date back to 1999.
After listening to Conney, Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey made an order for him to be charged with overstaying. The fugitive immediately pleaded guilty. "Your Honour, while I was here I was a good man and did not cause any injury or problem," Conney said.
But the magistrate told him that that did not excuse him from the offence. He was fined $5,000, or 30 days in prison. The fine was, however, waived.
