A father of two convicted of importing over $54,000 worth of cannabis inside a motorcycle last month is starting a prison sentence of four-and-a-half years.

Kevin Shiell, 35, of Sommersall Road, Smith's, was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury April 18 of importing $54,525 worth of the controlled drug cannabis and possessing the drug with the intent to supply on January 4 of last year.

The court heard during the seven-day trial from Crown prosecutor Carrington Mahoney, that Shiell travelled to Massachusetts from December 2006 until January 2007.

While he was there, he sent a shipment of bike equipment to Bermuda including a muffler. Routine checks on the shipment at the airport by a narcotics team alerted them to the muffler, which was in a shipment of packages addressed to Everest Darrell via his IBC zip-x account.

Officers discovered the cannabis inside and proceeded to monitor the package throughout the rest of the delivery process. When Shiell and Mr. Darrell went to pick up the package at IBC, they were both arrested.

During sentencing, Mr. Mahoney argued Shiell should get an immediate custodial sentence in order to protect the community from him.

The prosecutor said because of the amount of drugs, 1,090 grams, society needs to be protected from individuals who traffic drugs and suggested jail time of four-and-a-half to six years.

Shiell's lawyer, Craig Attridge argued his client should get the lower end of sentencing as he is father of two boys, aged five and three, and was the sole provider for the five-year old.

Before he was sentenced, when asked if he had anything to say, Shiell said: "No comment".

Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons agreed the community must be protected from individuals who are involved in drug trafficking and sentenced the 35-year old to four-and-a-half years for each count to run concurrent.

Time spent in custody will be taken into consideration.