Female vendor, in custody since 2020, gets almost 6 more years for robbing cab passengers

A female vendor who, along with two men, robbed three persons including a police constable, while posing as a taxi driver and passenger, has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison following a plea deal in the Home Circuit Court.

Subrina Martin, 33, was sentenced on Thursday to five years and 11 months for her role in two separate knifepoint robberies committed in September and October 2020. Martin, who has been in custody since that year, was sentenced by Justice Carolyn Tie-Powell.

Her co-convict, Clive Miller, 32, a vendor from Mandela Terrace in Kingston, was sentenced to four years and 11 months, while Derrick Daley, 48, who served as the driver in the October incident, received a sentence of three years and 11 months.

Both Miller and Martin pleaded guilty to robbery with aggravation, using an access device, three counts of simple larceny, and unlawful wounding in October, while Daley pleaded guilty to two counts of simple larceny and unlawful wounding.

According to court records, on September 23, 2020, a police constable boarded a white Toyota Probox believed to be a taxi. Both Martin and Miller were aboard and robbed her at knifepoint of her access card, which the criminals later used to withdraw $50,000 from her account.

A month later, on October 23, a couple also boarded what they thought was a taxi along Mountain View Avenue. Daley, who was the driver, drove away with the couple, robbing them of $1,000 cash and a cellular phone. During the ordeal, the male complainant was cut on the hand by Martin while attempting to escape. He later alerted the police, leading to the arrest of the trio.

SENTENCES

Martin was sentenced to five years and 11 months each for robbery with aggravation, using an access device, and one count of simple larceny. She also received four years each for two additional counts of simple larceny and one year for unlawful wounding. However, Tie-Powell ordered that the one-year sentence and the two four-year sentences be treated as time already served. The remaining sentences are to run concurrently.

Miller was sentenced to four years and 11 months each for both the robbery with aggravation and using an access device. He also received four years each for two counts of simple larceny, four years and 11 months for a third count of simple larceny, and one year for unlawful wounding. The judge ruled that the one-year sentence and the two four-year larceny sentences should be considered time already served. The remaining sentences will run concurrently.

Daley was sentenced to four years for simple larceny relating to the theft of $1,000 and three years and 11 months for another count of simple larceny involving a cellular phone. He also received a one-year sentence for unlawful wounding. Tie-Powell similarly ordered that the four-year sentence and the one-year sentence be treated as time served. He will now serve his three-year sentence.

In a social inquiry report, Martin said she had been experiencing financial hardship and claimed she was influenced by Miller and Daley. She expressed remorse, noting that her incarceration has negatively affected her young daughter’s schooling. Miller said she has accepted responsibility for her actions and will “never find herself in that situation again”.

Miller also cited financial stress for his involvement, claiming Daley, whom he said he did not know prior to the robberies, was the mastermind behind the scheme. He, too, expressed regret for his actions.

Daley, however, said in his social inquiry report that he was not involved in the scheme and was going about his regular taxi duties when he responded to a call for a pickup and found himself in the middle of the robbery with the clients who had called him.

Attorneys John Jacobs and Courtney Rowe represented Martin, Leroy Equiano appeared for Miller and Michael Howell defended Daley.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com