7 News Belize

Mexican Soldier Pleads Guilty Twice, But Gets To Go Home!
posted (February 28, 2011)
We already know what happened to three Belizean security guards and a Casino owner when they went into Mexico with guns - but when you hear what happened to a Mexican soldier who was in Belize with an unlicensed weapon, you'll shake your head! The fate of that Mexican national charged last Friday with the possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of counterfeit US dollars is still being weighed at this moment by Belize Police.

The court has already weighed in, ordering the Corozal police to release Mexican national, Jose Luis Beltran from its custody.

Beltran, a Mexican soldier from Tabasco, Mexico was caught by Police in the Corozal Free Zone last Thursday, February 24th, with a .25 caliber pistol and nine .25 live rounds of ammunition.

A further search of Beltran also discovered $20,156.00 worth of US currency, One thousand eight hundred of which were established by a Free Zone bank to be counterfeit.

Corozal police detained Beltran and charged him with kept ammunition without a gun license and possession of counterfeit currency. Beltran appeared in the magistrate's court of Clive Lino where he pleaded guilty to both the firearm and ammunition charges He was then sentenced to 2 years each for the firearm and ammunition charges to be run concurrently. Beltran was escorted to the Belize prison, but within 24 hours filed an appeal with the courts, which allowed for him to post bond and receive bail.

He was immediately re-arrested by police and charged with the possession of counterfeit currency. That's where the fate of Beltran has become embroiled in what's being considered a most controversial judicial ruling. According to our sources, the Magistrate dismissed the charges of counterfeit possession against Beltran, despite his guilty plea and the Belize Bank identifying the currency in question as counterfeit and without evidence being presented.

The decision has left some in Law Enforcement and some in the Judiciary puzzled and calling it "irregular." The Magistrate ruled that there was no Authoritative Agency of the US Government to authenticate or dispute the authenticity of the money in question. Hence, he dismissed the charges. Up until news time, Corozal Police were still waiting for orders from the Commissioner regarding Beltran's release. The release means that there is a high probability that Beltran will skip town, before his appeal on the firearm charges can be heard.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize