3 U.S. predatory fugitives in Corozal in a month
David McLain
Belize is well known as the country that globally has the second highest fugitive returns to the United States. Recently, the U.S. State Department honored three officers for their work in arresting an American national wanted for murder. There have been three American predators caught in Belize over the past few weeks. On April eleventh, Corozal Police busted Thomas Donahue on the Santa Rita Road. Donahue was wanted on child pornography charges in the U.S. He was deported the following day. But two more fugitives were busted this month in Corozal. According to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, fifty five year old David Harley McLain failed to register as a sex offender since December first 2010. The Oklahoma resident fled to New Orleans, Louisiana, and then to Belize. After being caught in Corozal, McLain was arrested on March thirty first and was expelled from Belize and boarded a flight that took him to the Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.
Ronald Dean Coward
According to the release, the successful case was the result of “investigations conducted by the United States Marshals Service Sex Offender Investigations Unit for the Western District of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma City Police Department with substantial assistance from the Belize Police Department and the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Office in Belize.” But there was also another sex offender, Ronald Coward, was busted in Chan Chen earlier this month. News Five spoke via phone to Superintendent Miguel Guzman, the Officer Commanding the Corozal Police Formation regarding Coward’s detention and expulsion from Belize.
Supt. Miguel Guzman, O.C., Corozal Police Formation
“At about four-forty p.m. on Thursday, the fourteenth of April 2011, police conducted a search at a residence in Chan Chen village, Corozal District, where they encountered one Ronald Dean Coward, forty years—date of birth; twenty-second of July 1970, American national of Miami Florida. As a result he was arrested and brought to the station. Contact made with our counterparts in the U.S. where it was confirmed that this person was wanted for child pornography. Also inspection was conducted on his U.S. passport which reflected that he last checked in with the Belize Immigration Authorities on the twelfth of November 2010 rendering him to be illegally in the country of Belize. Subsequently he was escorted to Belize City and thereafter back to his country of origin.”
Miguel Guzman
Jose Sanchez
“I am aware that that makes at least three American fugitive found in the Corozal District in the past month. Are you more vigilant when you see U.S. nationals in villages?”
Supt. Miguel Guzman
“Certainly. What we try to do is whenever a person is arrested we try to confirm if they are wanted. So we normally maintain a close contact with our U.S. counterparts to confirm whether these person are wanted or not.”
Great job! Get them out! We have enough to deal with here in Belize. Let America deal with their issues!
We already have to be vigilant of the sick Belizean men that prey on our young girls now we gotta worry about these sick foreigners coming into our country.
Tit for tat, butter for fish. They send back our undesirables to us and we reciprocate the favour.
P.s We as concerned Belizean citizens really should keep an eye out for these kinds of monsters in our midst. Not all expats are here for fun in the sun if you know what I mean.
Make sure that they havn’t sexually abused any of our kide prior to handing them over to the US.Our immigration official need to start doing their jobs.
Mr. Guzman you don’t have to wait for them being arrested to investigate them the immigration department has record of their entry into the country, if after the time they are given to stay has elapsed and there is no record of their departure then the immigration department should share this information with the police department so that you guys can look out for these fugitives. There needs to be better co-operation between law enforcement departments. Remember, My Legacy B 4 My People.
They forgot that Belize IS THE 59TH STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
I agree with My Legacy. The whole Immigration system needs to be draggd into the 20th Century, let alone the 21st. A network should be set up, and all foreigners entering Belize should have their Passports scanned on entry, on departure and at any time that they are required to extend their Visa to stay in Belize. Permanent Residents details should also be included in this. Once the permitted time to stay has been expired, the network should automatically alert Immigration Authorities, who can then double check the persons status, and, if in Belize illegaly – inform the Police for them to make an arrest and deport them.
This can’t cost a lot, but is probably not a good idea politically, as hundreds of illegal immigrants from Guatemala would be deported, and not allowed to be made naturalised citizens just before Elections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Vote for us and you get a Belize Passport).
OFF WITH THEIR !#$%ING HEADS…….!!!
GOOD JOB POLICE DEPT I CONGRATULATE YOU, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK IN CATCHING UP ON THESE CHILD MOLESTERS, I KNOW YOU GUYS GET ALL KIND OF NEGATIVE REMARKS AT TIMES BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE THE DEVIL WHAT HE DESERVE, SO AGAIN CONGRATS
Great job guys. By returning these criminals, the others have been placed on notice that Belize may not be the place to hide.
i totaly agree with legacy. the immigration department knows these people are here but they rather wait 4 these persons are caugth by them with expired documents so they can make some money.
Must agree with elgin and mylegacy,why are we not investigating if these american pedophiles have’nt commited sex crimes against our children’s,it is obvious that it is known in the pedophile community that belize is a fishing ground and safe haven for these sick individual’s.These monsters should not just simply be expelled from or country in american hands,if they commit sex crimes in our country,they should spend their time in our horrible prison,an let them know in our country bee’s come with the honey.These predators will simply be returned to U.S to face a parol or probation violation,which is about a year imprisonment.It is also obvious that the american government is fully aware of these individuals in our country,our incompetent police force did’nt just simply stumble upon these individuals.Remember the treaty america was trying to shove down the caribbean community’s throat,if an american citizen commit any crime in other countries,they would be tried,convicted and imprisoned in the U.S.The belize government need to give these sick !**%’s a taste of our jail hospitality.
@crime free belize, the US courts are not lenient & aggressively pursue pedophiles & sex offenders. Convicted pedophiles & high risk sex offenders have trouble finding places to live after they have served their time because many of us will & have picketed their homes. Despite it’s flaws, the American Government is not known for trying to get prisoners released from foreign jails only to set them free on US streets.
If a belizean commits a crime in the US., they are tried and if convicted, that person or persons is sent to jail in the US., and after serving their time, is then deported back to Belize. Why can’t our Belizean Government do the same, as was said in one the coments put them in jail, and after they serve their time, then send them back to the US.
These ‘first’ world countries like US and Canada deport, what they consider scum, back to their home country in a heart beat, yet, we allow their scum to migrate and live here, no problem. Why don’t we start doing the same, we have a whole lot of these useless, hypocritical jehovah’s witness coming to Belize under religious pretense, next thing you know they are setting up businesses making tons of money from real estate and you name it….what do we do?….Nothing. It seems that we enjoy being disenfranchised by these despots.
There is a lack of personal accountability. If you commit a crime and are deported, so be it. You deserve it. If you are an honest, hard working individual that stays out of trouble, there will be no problem. The individual determines their future. Excuses create criminals, non contributors to society. The difference is whether or not their will be a pity party when they return home.
In response to crime free belize:
Mr.Coward will not be slapped on the wrist and given probation. I know this because child pornography is not his only charge. I pressed charges for rape against him almost 2 years ago, got him indicted by a Grand Jury 1 year ago and he ran for the 2nd time during my case alone. I assure you, he has a laundry list of problems even after I’m done with him. I’m not understating the child pornography by any means, so don’t take it as that. But he won’t be seeing the outside of a cell for the rest of his life.
It’s really good to have you off of the streets, Ronnie. That way you can’t hurt people’s families anymore, like you did mine.