The trial of a former police officer and a man accused of a plot to smuggle guns and drugs into Bermuda began in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Jonathan McAlpine-Talbot and Ezekiel Swan have denied allegations that they conspired with others to import and supply firearms and ammunition between an unknown date and November 14, 2023.

Both men have also denied allegations of conspiring to import and supply controlled drugs between an unknown date and December 2, 2023.

Mr McAlpine-Talbot, a former sergeant in the Bermuda Police Service, also denied a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by improperly sharing information into the investigation of the murder of Wilfred Outerbridge Jr.

However, the defendant pleaded guilty to a charge that he used a police computer on November 21 and December 2, 2023 to access materials without authorisation.

As the trial began yesterday, the court heard that the two men were originally charged alongside Ryan Resendes, Jonathan Mello and Jose Puga, who have pleaded guilty to offences related to the conspiracy.

However, Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe instructed the jury that they should not consider their guilty pleas when considering the facts of the case against Mr McAlpine-Talbot and Mr Swan.

Daniel Kitson-Walters, for the Crown, said that the bulk of the allegations related to several firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition and a large quantity of drugs that were smuggled to the island in November 2023.

He said there was no dispute that there had been a conspiracy to import the contraband into the country but the question for the jury was if the defendants were involved with the plot.

The prosecutor said: “Drugs, firearms and ammunition don’t magically go poof and appear in a boat garage in St George’s without someone being responsible.”

Mr Kitson-Walters said the Crown’s case was that both defendants had knowingly played a role in the conspiracy.

He added: “We are not saying that Mr McAlpine-Talbot and Mr Swan knew each other. We are not even saying that they conspired with each other.

“We are saying there was a common denominator, and that was Jonathan Mello.”

Mr Kitson-Walters told the jury that in October 2023 Mr Swan travelled to California and met Puga, adding that jurors would see images of firearms and drugs that were later seized in Bermuda.

Meanwhile, he said Mr McAlpine-Talbot had used his position at the BPS to get information about an ongoing murder investigation that he was not authorised to have and used that information with the goal of perverting the course of justice in that case.

Detective Superintendent Dennis Astwood told the court that in 2022 his job in the BPS was to oversee intelligence gathering, while Mr McAlpine-Talbot was a member of a surveillance team.

He told the court that in 2020, he was aware that Mr McAlpine-Talbot was in contact with a source who provided police with information about firearms, drugs and gang activity.

Mr Astwood said the defendant was advised to maintain the relationship with the source and continue to collect information.

At that time, he said his understanding was that the source’s involvement in criminal activity was limited to using cannabis in social settings.

However, Mr Astwood said that on December 2, 2023, he became aware that the source had been arrested the previous day on suspicion of murder stemming from an incident involving a firearm.

He told the court that the arrest raised concerns and he requested a report from Mr McAlpine-Talbot regarding his interactions with the source and gave him directions to avoid further contact with the individual.

Mr Astwood said he received a report from Mr McAlpine-Talbot on December 7, which laid out a longstanding connection between the defendant and the source.

He told the court that in the report, the defendant said the source was involved in “low level” use and dealing of cannabis.

The trial continues.

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