Three held on gang-related charges

An accused gang leader and two other men stood before a Port of Spain Magistrate on Tuesday charged with gang-related offences after they were nabbed in a sting operation and found with high-value industrial pumps and motors later discovered to be the property of WASA

Jerrel “Frankie” Hutchinson, 22, was denied bail and remanded into custody after being charged with one count of being a gang leader, one count of demanding money by menace, one count of receiving stolen items and one count of money laundering.

Marvin St Louis, 36, and Shanee Blackette, 19 were charged with receiving stolen times and supporting a gang leader.

Hutchinson was remanded into custody while St Louis and Blackette were each granted a $200,000 bail with surety, with a $25,000 cash alternative. They were ordered to report to the Morvant Police Station three times a week, between 6 am and 6 pm .

On January 3, a report was made to the Special Investigations Task Force by a person who alleged that on several occasions an armed man forced him to pay a specific amount of money for a contract job to continue in the Morvant area.

An investigation conducted by ACP Crime Sharon Cooper, Snr Supt Christopher Paponette and insp Wayne Stanley led to the discovery of gang-related operations in the area. Coming out of the investigation officers conducted an operation in the Cunupia and Morvant districts on January 4 which led to the arrest of the three men.

Police found a quantity of high-value industrial pimps and motors belonging to WASA during the exercise. The men were charged on January 9.

The matter was adjourned to January 20.