An American was sentenced to seven years at Westgate yesterday importing 620 grams of cocaine into Bermuda.

John Gerena, 28, of Springfield, Massachusetts admitted to importing the drug concealed inside iced tea bottles in its liquid form. He was stopped on February 27 at Bermuda International Airport, where he was searched by Customs officers.

Gerena?s last job was with an American organisation which goes to the streets to teach heroin addicts how to shoot safely, and aims to refer them to detoxification clinics.

He told Assistant Justice Archie Warner he had to leave his job in order to take care of his three children after their mother became suicidal. He was also in ?extreme debt? and no longer able to meet mortgage payments.

?I was worried about losing my home, about my family on the streets,? he told Mr. Warner. ?Someone I thought was a friend talked me into this.?

Gerena was convicted in the US for simple possession of cocaine last year, and was still on probation when he was arrested.

He told Mr. Warner the circumstances had clouded his judgment when he agreed to import the estimated $193,750 of cocaine for a fee of $4,000.

Senior Crown counsel Lloyd Rayney told the court in light of Gerena?s previous job, it was reasonable to say he was well aware of the detrimental effect of drugs in a community. He cited similar cases where people had been jailed for ten to 13 years.

Gerena?s counsel Elizabeth Christopher argued her client?s guilty plea entitled him to a discount. She also noted his personal circumstances at the time of the offence and argued for a sentence of three to five years.

?I am concerned I have heard aggravating factors rather than mitigating factors,? said Mr. Warner and listed Gerena?s probation, previous experience in areas of drug prevention, and knowledge of what he was doing as such factors.