Prosecutor mulls strategy as accused faces local, US charges
Published:Wednesday | April 13, 2022 | 12:11 AM
A Hanover car parts manager who is wanted by the United States (US) for allegedly fleecing Americans out of millions of dollars in the fraudulent lottery scheme was on Tuesday remanded when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.
Alrick Grant, 33, who is also charged locally for murder, is wanted in the US for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
When the matter was mentioned on Tuesday, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jeremy Taylor asked for the matter to be put off to another day so that he could have further consultation in respect of Grant’s local charge.
A new mention date has been set for April 21.
Grant was charged in 2018 after an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is alleged that he scammed unsuspecting American citizens out of hundreds of thousands of dollars after convincing them that they won the lottery and would need to send cash to clear their prizes.
Attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, QC, who is representing the Grant, said the case is quite unusual given that Grant is on a murder charge.
He said it is important that the US authorities be advised that Grant is charged locally and that a determination will have to be made as to whether he is extradited there and afterwards be returned here to face the local charge.
Grant was on bail to return to the St Mary Home Circuit Court on July 12.
He is charged with the July 20, 2018, murder of Damaine Gordon in Bailey’s Vale, St Mary.
Gordon was reportedly on a roadway in the community when a car with gunmen aboard drove up and shot and killed him and sped away.
Police later found the car that was reportedly used in the attack abandoned in the community. It was traced to Grant, who was subsequently charged.