A Jamaican dancehall artist, with appearances on the BBC and a track with Nicki Minaj, has narrowly avoided prison over a drug dealing scheme. Annette Lawrence, 37, known by her stage name Lisa Mercedez, rose to fame in the 2000s, collaborating with the likes of Stylo G and Vybz Kartel, but more recently featured with a number of artists on Minaj’s ‘Likkle Miss’ (The fine nine remix).
Lawrence, who moved to London from Kingston as a teenager, was one of only three females performers to appear at Wireless Festival in 2018, when she was named alongside American rapper Cardi B and pop singer Mabel. On Friday (June 13), she was sentenced to two years suspended for two years, with 50 hours of unpaid work and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Essex Police say Lawrence was involved with 50-year-old Sheldon Johnson, a drug dealer known as ‘Lucky British’, who posed as a high-flying music promoter while running a crack cocaine and heroin business in the Chigwell area. Johnson was jailed for 10 years, while his business associate 42-year-old Nyasha Best was jailed for seven.
All three were convicted after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. Police say action under the Proceeds of Crime Act will be taken against them to recover any outstanding criminal profit.
Detective Sergeant David Wilkinson said: “The defendants liked to pass themselves off as having wealth and high status. In reality they were the lowest of the low. The profit they made was built on the misery and exploitation of drug addicts, by selling harmful substances on the streets of our county. The supply in Class A drugs causes immeasurable harm in our neighbourhoods. We’re working hard to ensure drug dealers like Johnson, Best and Lawrence are put before the courts.”
The court heard after months of evidence gathering Johnson was approached in a shop in Woodford, East London, in June 2024. When he tried to push past and escape, he was wrestled to the ground and arrested. When officers lifted him up there were wraps of heroin and crack where he had been laying. One of the phones seized from him turned out to be the drug line.
At Johnson’s home in Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge, officers found £25,000 in cash and £250,000 designer clothes, shoes, a watch and sunglasses, as well as a poster advertising a music event celebrating the birthday of ‘Lucky’ – with a cash prize of £1,000. Johnson was centre stage on the poster wearing expensive designer clothing identical to items seized from his home.
Best, of Tiverton Road, Queens Park, and Lawrence, of Nazeing, Waltham Abbey, were also arrested in June 2024. Police found expensive clothes at Best’s home and a burner phone at Lawrence’s. All three denied charges of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. Johnson and Best also denied charges of possessing criminal property.
All three were convicted after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. Police say action under the Proceeds of Crime Act will be taken against them to recover any outstanding criminal profit.
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