Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 3717Possession of controlled drugs (importing cannabis) · Co. Dublin · 6 Jul 2025

US national Shawndell Gaston jailed for four years over €424,000 cannabis import at Dublin Airport

Shawndell Gaston, 31, a US national, was sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for importing 48 packets of cannabis worth €424,000 at Dublin Airport on 6 July 2025. His mother, Hellasha Tingman, is to be sentenced next month in relation to the same incident.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced26 Feb
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGaston pleaded guilty to importing cannabis at Dublin Airport on 6 July 2025 (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere were 48 packets in the suitcases containing €424,000 worth of cannabis (irishtimes.com)
  • whereGaston was on a flight from JFK airport accompanied by his mother (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceGaston was jailed for four years (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceGaston will be serving a sentence in an Irish prison environment (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGaston has no previous convictions (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHis mother Hellasha Tingman is to be sentenced next month in relation to the incident (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGaston told gardaí he had accommodation booked in Dundalk, Co Louth (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGaston said he did not know what was going to be in the suitcases (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGaston worked in security and never left the US (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGaston only got a passport three days before he left for Ireland (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThere was an element of naivety involved (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGaston is from the Bronx and he and his mother had a very strong drug addiction (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 26 Feb2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    US national jailed for four years for possession of cannabis worth over €400,000

    Reports the sentencing of Shawndell Gaston to four years in prison and notes his mother Hellasha Tingman is to be sentenced next month. Includes mitigation details about financial difficulties, drug addiction, and naivety.

    convicted, Shawndell Gaston, 31, male, American, named, non-irishShawndell Gastonaccused, Hellasha Tingman, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Hellasha Tingman