The Quality of Cocaine is Not Strained

By ILYA KEGEN

Fate smiled a little on one man in Brooklyn Federal Court on Thursday.

Judge Allyne Ross sentenced convicted drug smuggler Modeira Flemming to eight months in prison and three years supervised release instead of the 12 to 18-month sentence that the offence usually carries.

Flemming was caught with two pounds of cocaine hidden in his groin area at John F. Kennedy airport as he traveled from the Caribbean last February.

“It will never ever happen again,” the repentant defendant said when the judge asked if he had anything to say.

Flemming, from Trinidad and Tobago, had no prior criminal record and the only reason he agreed to be a drug mule was to repay a $1500 debt that his wife owed to another man, his lawyer said. The judge viewed Flemming as a low risk chance of being a repeat offender and a threat to society.

Flemming had a troubled childhood, being subject to physical, mental and sexual abuse. He had tried to commit suicide twice before, lawyers said.

In addition to the light sentence, Judge Ross recommended Flemming be transferred from the Metropolitan Detention Center to the Metropolitan Correction Center, which houses criminals with more minor offences. Flemming was being pressured by gang members to smuggle drugs into the detention center, sources said.

Both Flemming and his lawyer were pleased with the ruling on the case, leaving the courtroom smiling and in good spirits. He was scheduled to surrender to authorities at a later date.