Former football phenom jailed after gun-smuggling attempt at border
A former football phenom has been sentenced to more than three years behind bars after he attempted to smuggle 20 handguns into Canada at a Niagara border crossing.
“The issue of illegal handguns is probably the most pressing criminal problem we’re facing in Canada,” Judge James Ramsay said in a Superior Court of Justice in St. Catharines, Friday.
“They come over from the United States, brought over in small batches by people like the accused,” he said after Marquis Watkins, 30, pleaded guilty to two counts of importing firearms into Canada.
On Oct. 16, 2018, Watkins crossed the Rainbow Bridge into Canada and told Canada Border Services Agency officers he was on his way to Niagara Falls, Ont., to take his girlfriend out to dinner.
The Niagara Falls, N.Y., resident was referred to secondary inspection and CBSA agents searched the man’s car but were unable to located anything suspicious.
When a CBSA detector dog was brought in, however, the animal gave “indicators” that something was in the trunk.
Upon further inspection, agents discovered a sealed compartment filled with 20 handguns — 19 prohibited and one restricted — including two Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handguns and a Smith and Wesson .45-calibre semi-automatic handgun.
Watkins originally denied knowledge of the weapons. He later said he was aware there were some guns in the car, but maintained he was unaware of the specifics.
“These are very serious offences,” said assistant Crown attorney Robert Mahler.
The Crown had sought a sentence of five years behind bars, less pretrial custody.
Anything less, Mahler said, “will then take the sentence out of what is appropriate with respect to the moral blameworthiness of the defendant.”
Defense counsel Michael DelGobbo advocated for a four-year sentence, with credit given for time his client had spent in pretrial custody, which was the equivalent of 28 months.
He had asked the judge to consider enhanced credit for pretrial custody, in light of the current situation with COVID-19.
“I can take judicial notice of the effect of the pandemic, but it (the sentence) can’t be reduced below the appropriate range,” the judge said and imposed a sentence of 3.5 years.
Factoring in the pretrial custody, Watkins must now serve an additional 14 months in jail.
Court was told Watkins was a successful football player in high school in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and received a football scholarship to a college in West Virginia where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He was working at a non-profit agency at the time of his arrest.