Peck’s family braces for sentencing set for Friday

Gino Peck clearly enjoys the solidarity of the police force and this Friday it is known that their presence will be felt when he is brought to court to learn his fate for the ammunition offences. The gun laws and penalties are strict, some say even draconian, so the life of the Peck family has been thrown into disarray. Duane Moody spoke to his wife and son today who are still stunned at the conviction.

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Duane Moody, Reporting

Guilty…that was the verdict given to Corporal Gino Peck on Monday afternoon when his six month trial for firearm offences concluded before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. The verdict shattered the entire Peck Family as the career police officer is the breadwinner for his wife and four of his five children. Up until Monday, when he was taken to the Central Prison and where he now awaits sentencing on Friday, Gino was participating in courses offered by the police department. The news of his conviction sent shockwaves throughout the family.

Loretta Peck

Loretta Peck, Wife of Convicted Cop

“I was shock, I was hurt, crying. I didn’t know what to expect so I needed to go and see for myself. And that is when me and my children went to the station and tried to get information and then forwarded over to the courthouse when I saw him there. It didn’t hit me right there and then all that. Later that night when I had to come home and knowing that he wasn’t here, that’s when it really hit me that this is for real and this is…my whole life is falling apart. My home, everything we worked so hard for throughout the years.”

It is a little over two years since that fateful night when the Gang Suppression Unit went to Peck’s Curassow Street home to conduct a search. The officers came across a cache of ammunition in the bedroom, in two bags under the bed and on the dresser. His wife, Loretta, was initially detained, but the charges were dropped in early February 2012. The quantity of ammo found has raised eyebrows, but Loretta says that she would have never questioned her husband.

Loretta Peck

“They said that what they are here for is to search our home. They get information that we have illegal weapons, ammunitions and I was shocked to even, but my husband said to don’t be afraid, to let them just do their job and that’s what we did and they started their search.  I didn’t even know that it was illegal for him to have these things. He is a police officer. He is a police officer and that’s what police officers use—guns and bullets. And so I thought that he did nothing wrong and it didn’t even cross my mind.”

Duane Moody

“Several rounds of ammunition was found underneath the bed in two different bags; that is apart from his service weapon that he had. Now, what has he told you as to why he had those? Did you ask him? Have you been able to ask him that question?”

Gino Peck

Loretta Peck

“I don’t really question my husband about his job and things like that. I don’t think it is my place to do that. He is a police officer; he is professional in his job; in what he does. Even if I ask him, he won’t tell me because it is pertaining to his work.  I think maybe he forgot to turn in what he was supposed to and I think that in itself is an honest mistake; it was not like if he was going to use them for any illegal mishaps or whatever. But some people on the talk shows are saying that the law is the law and we are law abiding citizens.”

It was a bombshell for the Peck family. The officer, who was attached to the Special Branch Unit and had been employed with the department for twenty-two years, raised five children as his own, the youngest being his biological daughter. Gino was a role model and a support for his son Gabriel Roches.  Roches, an honor roll student at Wesley Junior College, says that he is uncertain if he will be able to continue school.

Gabriel Roches

Gabriel Roches, Son of Convicted Cop

“My father took us when I was about two or three years old—when we was still in pampers. I was very sickly, six months premature; weighing one pound. He took care of me till I’m twenty-two years old. Although he was not my biological father, he treated me like he was. He put a roof over my head; he gave me food to eat. I just wanna say that I love him very much for all that he has done for me. He put me through primary school, high school; the tertiary level and WJC. It’s hard right now to continue in school because my dad was the only one bringing money into the house. It hurts so much. I went to school yesterday and I didn’t even went into the calls. It’s hard to sit down and think about school when you know what your father is going through. It hurts so much to sit here and to see my mom cry for so long. It hurts.”

Duane Moody for News Five.

At the time of the search in January 2012, Peck declared that he had his service weapon, a Glock nine-millimeter pistol and loaded magazine. But in a further search of Peck’s bedroom, the GSU found five nine-millimeter rounds, one point forty-five caliber round, one twelve-gauge and one point thirty-eight live rounds of ammunition. The unit pulled out from under the bed two bags. One contained twenty-three nine-millimeter rounds, eighteen twelve-gauge rounds and two empty Glock magazines. The other bag contained six nine-millimeter rounds, four point thirty-eight live rounds of ammunition and three twelve-gauge cartridges. On a dresser, officers also found two additional loaded magazines; each contained thirteen rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition.