Defense force marine charged with stealing

Defense force marine charged with stealing

A Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) marine begged the court for leniency Monday after he pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing, which amounted to nearly $9,000 in two separate incidents.

Tavares Styles, 37, appeared before Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis, charged with stealing by reason of service.

It is alleged that on March 20, 2017, Styles received $2,200, the property of Glenford Bevans.

Prosecutors told the court that Bevans gave Styles the money to purchase two doors for a Ford F-150 truck, however, Bevans never received the items.

After several attempts to retrieve his belongings for almost a year, prosecutor said he made an official complaint to the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).

Styles pleaded guilty to the charge but said he was only the “middle man” and insisted the car parts went missing during shipping.

His sentence for that charge was deferred.

Styles was further charged with stealing $5,355 from Jamal Deal between Tuesday September 12 and Saturday September 30, 2017.

Styles also pleaded guilty to this charge.

According to the prosecution, Styles received the money to purchase a 2009 Chevy Silverado from the United States (U.S.), but Deal never received the vehicle.

Styles begged the judge to be lenient with him because he did not want to lose his job.

He also asked not to be sent to the Bahamas Department of Corrections (DOC) so he could have time to “gather the funds” needed to repay the persons.

His sentence was delayed and he was given 10 days to “sort out the matters”.

However, the judge told Styles he would remain in custody during that time.

The judge insisted that it was “his duty” to protect society from these sorts of shady transactions.