7 News Belize

Con Man Sentenced
posted (December 13, 2010)
He's one of the "chanciest" and prolific con men we've ever reported on and 33 year old Artemio Acosta was convicted in absentia today.

Acosta was charged with fourteen counts of obtaining property by deception for allegedly taking money from primary schools all over Belize for t-shirts which were never delivered.

Though he was not in court, Acosta was found guilty of seven counts of obtaining property by deception in a trial that was held in the #4 Magistrate's Court.

Magistrate Roberto Ordonez fined him $1,000 for each count, a total of $7,000, in default one year for each count with the stipulation that the sentences are to run consecutively.

He also ordered that Acosta pay $1,330 in compensation to the schools.

Linda Lopez, a retired teacher who was principal of Lucky Strike Government School, testified that on October 23, 2009 she gave Acosta two hundred dollars in advance for 500 T-shirts. She said she later gave Acosta another $200.00 when he went to the school on November 2, 2009 and she hasn't gotten any T-shirts.

Greta Parks, a retired teacher who was principal of Our Lady of the Way School, testified that on October 8, 2009, she gave Acosta a cheque for $170.00 as an advance for fifteen softball uniforms. She said she gave Acosta another cheque, one for one hundred dollars when Acosta went back to the school on October 20 and the school hasn't gotten the uniforms.

Elia Che, the principal of Ladyville Evangelical School, testified that on October 9, 2009 Acosta was given one hundred and seventy dollars advance for two hundred badges for the school.

She said Acosta got thirty dollars when he returned to the school on October 13. When he went back to the school on October 20 he also got three hundred and seventy dollars more and he told the vice-principal he needed the money to get the badges from customs at the airport. She said the school hasn't gotten any badge from Acosta.

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