Sistah Joyce Pleads Guilty To Drug Charge
BVI Platinum News
Updated: July 12, 2012 8:12 am AST
Published: July 11, 2012 2:52 pm AST
Sistah Joyce
Photo Credit: Clifton Skelton/BVI Platinum News
Local artiste, Joycelyn Searles known as 'Sistah Joyce' of Virgin Gorda, has changed her plea to guilty in relation to the drug charge against her.

Searles, 41 of The Valley, Virgin Gorda reappeared in court this morning, July 11 where she pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to supply and not guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis. Due to her guilty plea, the crown offered no evidence on the unlawful possession of cannabis charge which was then dropped.

Searles, who is represented by Attorney At Law Herbert McKenzie of Orion Law Firm, will be sentenced on Tuesday, September 11. She remains on bail until the sentencing hearing.

According to Police, on April 3 Searles was caught with just over a pound of marijuana. Police stated that Searles was in the ferry terminal when Police detected a heavy scent of marijuana in the area.

According to Police, Searles was approached, searched and found with 503 grams of cannabis with a street value of over $5,000.

It was stated earlier in court that Searles told Police that she was suspended from her job and invested monies into purchasing the marijuana to sell and smoke.
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Copyright 2011 by Virgin Islands Platinum News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
  • Readers' Opinion
This is someone who people look up to and this shows she does not care. We don't need people like her to represent the bvi..
July 14 at 9:47pm  |  Like   Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this.
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David Fenton | Report Abuse
Message to the Virgin Gorda Festival Committee.Now that sistah Joyce has gone back to court ,and change her plea to guilty of unlawful possession of cannabis.The Festival Committee should strip her of the crown as the raining calypso queen of Calypso on Virgin Gorda,that's not showing a... more
July 12 at 1:44pm  |  Like ▪ 7 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 4 People dislike this.
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I Oh My ! | Report Abuse
The prob is how can we send someone overseas to represent our country who has pleaded guilty of possession of cannabis with intent to supply!!! If it was miss bvi we would ask her to step down because that is not the kind of representation we need or want for our country. The same should go for... more
July 11 at 6:44pm  |  Like ▪ 16 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 3 People dislike this.
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Online Now. | Report Abuse
She will not be allowed into the UK or US with a record of drug dealing. We need to think carefully about the message it sends and the how she is setenced and treated.
July 13 at 9:01am  |  Like ▪ 1 Person like this.   Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this.
serious thing | Report Abuse
"She pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to supply"

That is a serious offense da man. I did not realize the thing was so serious. She looking at a possible long jail sentence here.
July 11 at 4:35pm  |  Like ▪ 2 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 2 People dislike this.
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Agree | Report Abuse
She write a song about Tilford, she get no jail time.
July 11 at 4:53pm  |  Like   Dislike ▪ 3 People dislike this.
Flanks | Report Abuse
Yep you get more years for weed than a gun. They just sentence a man found with a gun who lied about it initially to 12months. Imagine that. So bust your gun, but don't get bust with weed.
July 11 at 5:12pm  |  Like ▪ 4 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 1 Person dislike this.
Biggs | Report Abuse
Lord sentencing on 9/11?
July 11 at 3:52pm  |  Like ▪ 1 Person like this.   Dislike ▪ 3 People dislike this.
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Live It Up | Report Abuse
So she has to wait at least 2 months (11 Sept) for sentencing. My gully! Awhh well, I waiting to hear her two new songs for the show.
July 11 at 3:27pm  |  Like ▪ 3 People like this.   Dislike
Reply
that was a smart move so she could enter the competition and win that car...bring it home girl
July 11 at 3:26pm  |  Like ▪ 4 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 7 People dislike this.
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Actually | Report Abuse
One has nothing to do with the other. Since when should a talent competition be lost due to her facing charges for the drugs. If they want to base judgement on someone's personal life then they need to prevent anyone with a smeared background from participating. Could be some human rights laws... more
July 11 at 3:06pm  |  Like ▪ 4 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 5 People dislike this.
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She already plead guilty to the charges. Serious charges.
July 12 at 1:43pm  |  Like   Dislike
Jealous C | Report Abuse
Good thinking.
July 13 at 5:10pm  |  Like   Dislike
the drug bust worked in her favour in VG festival because she won despite it. I wonder if her lawlessness will work to her advantage during the Tortola calypso competition too
July 11 at 2:56pm  |  Like   Dislike ▪ 11 People dislike this.
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sense alone | Report Abuse
If the committee have any sense or any ethics they will not allow her to enter. We do not need her representing the BVI from a jail cell
July 11 at 3:44pm  |  Like ▪ 9 People like this.   Dislike ▪ 16 People dislike this.
Please note that the comments posted are the views and opinion of the commentor and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of the management and staff of Virgin Islands Platinum News and its parent company Platinum Investors Limited.
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