Hard Time for Stealing a House

Rupert Avila

Rupert Avila was sentenced to three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to theft for stealing a woman’s house. When he appeared in court today before Magistrate Herbert Panton, the thirty-two year old I.T Technician of Belize City told the court that he had once lived in the house and his neighbor, Kevin Castillo who was taking down the house, had called him to remove items he had left inside while he was occupying it.  Avila went on to say that he had only purchased some of the board panels from Castillo. Magistrate Panton, however, informed Avila that his version of events was not accurate and that he was involved in disassembling the house.  In connection with the incident, twenty-nine year old Contractor Kevin Castillo pleaded not guilty to theft and is out on bail of for two thousand dollars and due back in court on March second, 2015.  He had appeared and arraigned before Senior Magistrate, Sharon Fraser. In his arraignment, Castillo told Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser that he didn’t know Sealey and that he had just moved into the vicinity in 2012. The charge for Avila and Castillo is in connection with a report made by Pamela Sealy, who told police that sometime between June and August of last year her wooden house valued at three thousand dollars was stolen.