Man Claims Gun Amnesty Defense, Gets 18 Months Behind Bars

Published
Green Bay Man Admits to Illegal Gun and Ammunition Possession
court gavel with a gun on the table

A chance encounter with police on patrol has landed 50-year-old Ed Archibald in prison despite his claims that he was en route to surrender his firearm under a national amnesty program.

The Old Runaway resident received an 18-month sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

The conviction stems from his arrest on Saturday evening when officers patrolling Thames Street discovered a black Ruger .380 auto pistol and six matching rounds in his possession.

whatsapp-group-names-for-family-friends (1)

Defence attorney Leon Symister presented his client’s case that the weapon was being transported to a police station for voluntary surrender as part of the country’s ongoing gun amnesty initiative.

Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel applied standard sentencing guidelines, resulting in concurrent sentences of 18 months for the illegal firearm and 6 months for ammunition possession.

Editorial Staff

About the author

The Editorial Staff refers to all reporters employed by Antigua.news. When an article is not an original creation of Antigua.news—such as when it is based on a press release, other media articles, letters to the editor, or court decisions—one of our staff members is responsible for overseeing its publication.

Read our editorial standards and corrections policy. Spotted an error? Contact the newsroom.

Comments (9)

  • Teacher for Life April 17, 2025, 10:10 PM

    This situation begs the question….Does the police really want citizens to surrender their arms? If not – why? Seems to me that this was a deliberate attempt to scare people into NOT participating in the amnesty program.
  • Unruly One April 16, 2025, 2:14 AM

    Exactly, and to go up at that stinking place for this . Really?
  • Juju Bee April 15, 2025, 9:17 PM

    Ah hah. All I can do is laugh cause that’s the same thing u said he would say.. My boy good one. You tried
  • YOUNG JELLY WATER April 15, 2025, 6:46 PM

    I like the initiative of the gun amnesty but I don’t trust the SOPs both for how law enforcement officers carry this out on the receiving side and for someone who want to take part in this to surrender their illegal arms and ammunition. The best advice I can give is to seek a lawyer and pay him to do a station visit explaining your intentions and it’s to take part in this gun amnesty. So when y’all reach the station the lawyer go in first with the arms and ammunition and there he’ll do all the talking and then he can let the officers know he’s there to represent you. If the lawyer goes in with the arms then maybe the police won’t feel threatened . All in all I don’t think it’s a good idea to just walk up to a police station and say I have arms and ammunition to surrender. Without legal representation gun amnesty scheme that should work with you may just end up working against you.
  • Stone April 15, 2025, 5:39 PM

    Confused confused. So that’s what is going to happen if you are caught with a firearm by police while on your way to turn it in.
  • Antigua Surf April 15, 2025, 5:24 PM

    Sooo, we just jailed a 50 year old? I mean he did say he was on his way to take the gun in.
  • Rhea April 15, 2025, 5:23 PM

    Do they think? How will this make other men feel. I’m sure they are going to not wanna bring in the gun now!
  • FAR FROM GOOD. April 15, 2025, 3:49 PM

    And they wonder why they don’t have the citizens corporations with anything…Give the man some community service hours or something jak….
  • white anon rabbit April 15, 2025, 3:34 PM

    noted, during an amnesty do not carry a firearm to surrender it at police HQ.
    nice. imma just call the cops. tell them someone left a gun in my yard and ill wait for them to come for it. i still want my money though.
    but they may want to search my house. hmmmm. of then. get rid of the drugs and clean the house, first.
    GOT IT.

Comments are temporarily unavailable.

More from Antigua and Barbuda

View section