Lengthy prison sentences for cocaine importation

Two men have been sentenced to 38 and 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to the importation and possession with intent to supply just under 100 grammes of cocaine.

Puisne Judge Matthew Happold acknowledged Donovan Martinez and Robert Montovio's mitigating circumstances but said the charges were serious, and a custodial sentence was inevitable.

In March last year, 40 year old Robert Montovio was followed by customs officers as he crossed the frontier and made his way to the air terminal. He was challenged and taken to Four Corners for a search. Nothing was found, but during the search he received a number of calls from Donovan Martinez, also 40 years old.

Martinez was later stopped by Customs officers and admitted to having 100 grammes of cocaine on him. He was arrested and charged with importation and possession with intent to supply, and his phone was seized. After a few months, phone calls and Whatsapps which incriminated Montovio were retrieved from his phone. Montovio too was arrested and charged.

Both defence lawyers, Chris Finch and Leigh Debono, said their clients were remorseful for their actions, and had pleaded guilty at an early stage, and although they both had previous convictions, none were for offences of this kind. Mr Debono explained Mr Montovio's wife was unable to work and they had a disabled child together.

Mr Justice Happold observed that, although both defendants had different roles in the supply chain, they were both equal participants. He sentenced Martinez to 3 years and 2 months, and in acknowledgement of his more mitigating circumstances, sentenced Montovio to 2 years and 8 months.