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– File photo
Bail has been denied to a former United States marine officer arrested on a provisional warrant on April 9 for 128 sex crime offences in the US.
Fazan Mohammed appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Christine Charles on April 11, hours after his attorneys threatened to file a writ of habeas corpus for his release.
He is represented by attorneys Subash Panday, Petronilla Basdeo and Genevieve Thompson. The US was represented by Ravi Rajcoomar, SC, Netram Kowlessar and Ryan Rajcoomar.
Charles adjourned the matter to May 9, to give the requesting state time to file the record of case and the authority to proceed for the start of extradition proceedings.
Hours before he appeared before Charles, his attorneys threatened to file a writ of habeas corpus to have the police justify his continued detention.
Mohammed, 36, was arrested in south Trinidad by officers of the Southern Division Task Force. He was arrested in Diamond Village, near San Fernando, and taken to his home in Princes Town where a search warrant was executed, his attorneys said in a pre-action protocol letter.
He was then taken to the Marabella police station and the Besson Street police station on April 10.
The letter said he was told he was being held in connection with several sexual offences in Philadelphia. According to the provisional warrant that Newsday has seen, Mohammed is accused of trafficking in individuals in violation of Pennsylvania Code 3011, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years as a first-degree felony.
He is also accused of corruption of minors as a felony in the third degree; ten counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a victim less than 16 years old; violation of the Photograph/Film Sex Act; dissemination of photographs; endangering the welfare of a child; ten counts of indecent assault on a person under the age of 16; ten counts of unlawful contact with a minor; unlawful dissemination of intimate images; indecent assault of a person under 16; indecent assault by force; possession of child pornography; statutory sexual assault of a victim 11-year-old or older; ten counts of sexual assault; criminal use of a communication facility and ten counts of rape by forcible compulsion.
The offences were alleged to have taken place between 2002-2003.
A police press release on April 10 said the operation which led to the man’s arrest was led by Senior Supt Soodeen and supervised by acting ASP Ramlogan who collaborated with Sgts Joseph, Mason and Cpl Mitchell.
