CMR) American David Dean Meadors (52) has failed to appear for a Grand Court appearance today and Justice Marlene Carter issued a warrant for his immediate arrest.
He was arrested and charged last year with possessing unlicensed firearms in Cayman Brac but was recently allowed to travel outside the jurisdiction for alleged medical reasons which he never proved with any independent documentation.
The defendant first appeared in court last July, after customs officers in Cayman Brac found 240 rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition in a shipping container at the site he was building a retirement home.
A further search of his residence found a BB gun and ammunition for that weapon. Initially charged with multiple offenses he plead guilty to importing and possessing the Glock handgun without the proper licenses and was facing a possible mandatory seven-year sentence for this offense unless the court found exceptional circumstances. He pleaded not guilty to the other charges and was to be preparing for a trial.
Mr. Meadors was initially granted bail with a charge on his Brac property and three Caymanians signing as sureties for a total sum of $23,000, plus a cash deposit of $5,000.
He was first permitted to leave the jurisdiction during last year's Hurricane Irma in September to secure his home and businesses in Florida. At the time, Justice Carter increased the charge on his Brac property from $200,000 to $400,000 and allowed him to leave this jurisdiction for a specified period. He returned for a Grand Court hearing on October 13 without incident. His trial was set for April 9 but had since been delayed.
However, he later made a request to the court to travel overseas again on medical grounds. Both the DPPs office and the court agreed to allow him to travel. However, he left without providing promised medical documentation that was requested by the court.
Court orders made public indicate that Mr. Meadors appeared at a case management hearing via video link on April 19. He was to return to Cayman on Friday, April 27, return his passport to the court on Monday, April 30, and appear in court on May 9. The Immigration Department confirmed he has not returned to the jurisdiction.
Defense attorney Ben Tonner told the court, “I don’t know where he is. I suspect he is in America.” Mr. Tonner noted that the court previously had been asked to extend his bail on medical grounds.
Meadors is facing a possible seven-year sentence for the guilty plea unless a court found exceptional circumstances. A trial date has been set for November 19.
Anyone who stood as a surety for him will now stand to lose their money.
Meadows was known as the owner of Broward Impact Windows and Doors as part of Meadors Construction Group Inc. and resided in Dania Beach, Florida.
Many on the Brac knew him as a millionaire building an exclusive property there. CMR investigative team has noticed some attempts to erase his online presence. He has removed his social media pages but those connected to him appear in limited form online. The company's social media pages are also now taken down; however, they continue to have a website.
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