BURLINGTON - What was supposed to be the end of a dream vacation has turned into a nightmare for a Burlington family, leaving a local man stranded and in legal trouble.
David Bennett and common-law partner Jane Wilcox were about to board their WestJet flight home from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, last Friday after spending a week on the beach with family friends, when Bennett was taken into a back room and questioned by police and airport security, said Wilcox.
“They were looking at Dave’s passport and boarding pass, and I asked what’s happening,” said Wilcox, who was initially separated from her spouse but later allowed to rejoin him. “Dave did not know, the security could not speak English, and they asked us through Google Translate for our travel documents.”
Wilcox said police and airport staff told the two that a bag filled with marijuana and cocaine was found under the name “Davi Bennett”. The bag was allegedly found during a luggage inspection earlier in the week.
The Burlington resident’s bags were tagged under his full name, David R Bennett, says Wilcox. Wilcox said she knew the flight home would be taking off shortly, and the couple decided mutually it was best to split up for now, thinking more good could be done from Canada.
“We looked at each other, we both agreed I had to go, I kissed him, gave him chargers, and gave him my last $2 U.S.,” Wilcox said.
After boarding, Wilcox says, four Federales agents walked on the plane and arrested two other people, who were also accused of trafficking marijuana.
Wilcox said her bag was also removed from the plane, though it was returned to her the next day.
After landing back in Burlington, communication with Bennett was scarce. Wilcox said Bennett was held in jail for some time before appearing before a judge on Monday. She said conditions in the jail were horrific, as was the experience in court.
“He was offered a bit of translation, but said it was so chaotic in there,” Wilcox said. “He had an interpreter, but he could not really understand because it was too loud. People were shouting, and he did not understand what happened.”
Wilcox’s lawyer in Canada is married to someone who speaks Spanish, and through them they found out Bennett had been released on bail, for which the family paid just shy of $5,000 Canadian dollars, on top of legal fees.
In the week that has elapsed since his arrest, Bennett has bounced around various hotels, and is now in what Wilcox describes as “a nice, safe little spot that he's going to be able to rest and recover.” Family and friends have been able to contact Bennett through WhatsApp, offering their words of encouragement and support to give him the strength he needs right now.
Bennett is not scheduled to appear in court again for around another week.
“The next preliminary hearing is 15 to 20 days from the 10th,” Wilcox said. “So he is out, he has all his stuff back including his wedding ring, passport, and phone. We were concerned that they would rip his phone apart or something.”
The family has been in contact with Global Affairs Canada and MP Karina Gould. A representative for Global Affairs said the agency is unable to comment on the situation.
“Our office has been in touch with Mrs. Wilcox and is aware of her husband, David Bennett's situation in Punta Cana,” a representative for Gould wrote in an email to BurlingtonToday. “We have reached out to Global Affairs Canada on her behalf, and they are currently investigating the matter while maintaining direct communication with the immediate family. We hope his case will be resolved promptly.”
Bennett is resting, speaking with lawyers in both countries, and recovering from a traveler's illness he caught during the vacation, said Wilcox. Until the next court date, Wilcox said she wants to make sure he remains in contact and safe.
“It’s the biggest project I’ve ever encountered in my life to get David home,” she said.
