‘I Fked Around and Found Out’: Mongoose Says Prison Was ‘One of the Most Difficult Phases’ of His Life

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Oszie ‘Mongoose’ Russell Says Prison Changed Him After Release

Popular Antiguan tattoo artist and social media personality Oszie Kelvin Russell, widely known as “Mongoose,” says his 15-month prison sentence was one of the most difficult periods of his life, as he thanked supporters following his release from His Majesty’s Prison.

In a lengthy social media post published after regaining his freedom on Monday, Russell reflected on his incarceration, acknowledged his mistakes and urged young people to avoid making similar decisions.

“I am finally out! I f**ked around and found out!” Russell wrote, adding that he was arrested on April 22, 2025, and was originally sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

Russell said his sentence was reduced after a successful appeal on March 23, 2026, allowing him to secure his release after serving 15 months, four days, 12 hours and 10 minutes.

“It was one of the longest, most grueling, and most difficult phases of my life,” he wrote. “During that time, I reflected, rethought my priorities, regrouped, and worked to become a better version of myself.”

The 40-year-old said he was grateful to be free and planned to spend time with his family and loved ones before returning to work. He also announced that his WhatsApp business line would resume once he had settled back into daily life.

Russell credited his family, friends and supporters with helping him endure his time behind bars, saying their encouragement, visits, prayers and financial assistance gave him the strength to persevere.

“My strength didn’t come from within alone,” he wrote. “It was built through the unwavering support, encouragement, and love of the people who stood beside me.”

He concluded his message with a warning to younger people, writing, “Youths keep out of trouble,” while expressing appreciation to dozens of relatives, friends, businesses and supporters whom he said stood by him throughout his imprisonment.

Russell was convicted after pleading guilty in 2025 to possessing an unlicensed firearm, ammunition and a suppressor. His case attracted significant public attention following his arrest in April 2025.

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16 COMMENTS

  3. If he was convicted after pleading guilty to the charges.
    How was his sentence overturned and his sentence was reduced after a successful appeal on March 23, 2026, allowing him to secure his release.
    Did ge and his attorney determine he was innocent after he pled guilty?

  4. This is an outrage! This scumbag should still be in jail. Crime is rampant, but when we finally catch the gunman dem, the judges let them out.

  5. WHAT THE HELL…! …WHO MADE YOU? …WHO GOT YOU OUT OF ‘..PENNYFEATHER PEN?
    ‘…WHO CHALLENGED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM?
    ***
    Not sure that ‘…ANR’ has done ‘…JUSTICE’ to the ‘…LEGAL PRACTITIONER: who

    (a) ‘…REDUCTION OF THE CUSTODIAL SENTENCE: in

    (b) …A SUCCESSFUL BID FOR THE CONVICT’S RELEASE: from

    (c) …HMP or

    (d) …THE PENNYFEATHER PEN? and

    (e) …EVENTUAL EARLY RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL PENAL INSTITUTION?’

    ***

    Well, ‘…NEIGHBOR MONGOOSE,’ notwithstanding, the ‘…FEE-PAYING LEGAL COSTS, as you reflect, see whoever else you may wish to express ‘…APPRECIATION’ to
    ***
    NOW:

    Shall say ‘…OPENLY’ to you:

    (a) ‘…YOUR DAD, MR. RUSSELL,’ more popularly known as:

    (b) …CONSTRUCTION WARRIOR: had

    (c) …HIS OWN PERSONAL CONCERNS OVER THE ‘…LENGTHY INCARCERATION.’

    ***
    THOUGH HE SENT NO SUCH MESSAGE, KNOW THAT HE WAS MOST HAPPY FOR THE ‘…EARLY RELEASE:’

    ***

    WHAT THE HELL…!

    ***
    From a professional perspective:

    (a) ‘…NEVER TAKEN: and

    (b) …NEVER SEEN A ‘…MONGOOSE’ IN JAIL,’ YET.

    ***
    SO VENTURE BACK INSIDE, THEN YOU WILL SURELY BE CALLED: not

    (i) ‘…PRISON JNMATE: but

    (ii) …SURELY, A ‘…RATTA’ (vernacular for ‘…RAT).

    KEEP OUT OF THE ‘…PENNYFEATHER PEN.’
    ***
    WALK GOOD.
    ***

  6. @The People Need to Know, he didn’t appeal the verdict, he appealed the sentencing, the calculation was wrong, he got too many years for the crime.

  7. This is exactly why so many people are losing confidence in the justice system. If someone is caught with an illegal firearm, ammunition and a suppressor, what message does it send when the sentence is cut so drastically? Every day we hear leaders talking about cracking down on gun crime, yet cases like this leave ordinary citizens wondering whether justice is truly being served. My concern isn’t about one individual, it’s about the precedent this sets and the safety of the wider community.

  9. If he was convicted after pleading guilty to the charges. How was his sentence overturned and his sentence was reduced after a successful appeal on March 23, 2026, allowing him to secure his release. Did he and his attorney determine he was innocent after he pled guilty?

  11. It is good when one can learn from their mistakes and improve to avoid the same mistakes , sometimes I hear some young man who went prison before say they don’t mind going back, what sweet them? Man behind bars? You out stay out! And live a positive

  12. Hi Mongoose,
    I am happy that you f$#ked around and found out. Now it is over, USE YOUR VOICE TO INFLUENCE OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE AWAY FROM PRISON.
    Please and thanks.

  13. Just rat on the gun runners like one of Pompey’s ratta and say where or who you got the gun and ammo from.

  14. Antigua people are some of the biggest bunch of hypocrites on God earth. Reading these comments on here just show how hypocritical we are as a society. Even coming from a former police commander. A man who caught with an illegal firearm ammunition and a damn silencer get a slap on the wrist sentence and adding insult to injury the appeal courts further reduce that joke of a sentence and here comes the hypocrites rejoycing then when the next gun crime happened here they come out with the pitch forks call for the calling for the police commissioner head cussing the AG and PM with them one tired old line “where are the guns coming from” Antigua is a crime capitol “gangster paradise” police cant solve crime “AG is incompetent” (which is true) ect ect. You people sick one marga dwag tommack.

  16. @ Devorne Carter,

    Some of the confusion including mine came from the poor reporting of this issues surrounding the case and the early release.
    Evidently the original judge gave a sentence that was beyond the sentencing guidelines.
    The attorneys who argued the appeal case was able to point out the charges for which the individuals were convicted were beyound the sentencing guidelines.
    The convicted individuals were released from prison for they had served the time for sentencing guidelines.

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