Cop and ex-cop in gun license scam
A major case of forgery landed three men in court today and it appears that Belmopan police may have busted a fraudulent gun licensing operation. The accused men include thirty-one year police constable, Orlando Antonio Jimenez, a San Ignacio resident. Jimenez appeared solo before Senior Magistrate, Linsbert Willis in the Belmopan Magistrate Court this morning where he was charged with Forgery of an Official Document for allegedly creating Belize Police Department gun license cards in the names of Alwyn Gonzalez and Answorth Dawson. Jimenez was released on bail of five thousand dollars and is due back in the Belmopan court on March twenty-third. Meanwhile in Belize City, Gonzalez and Answorth, who have been in police custody since Friday, also appeared in separate courts this morning. Dawson, a thirty-six year old Sandhill resident, who is also an ex-police officer, was charged for Uttering a False Document. He appeared before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stewart, represented by attorney, Arthur Saldivar. The prosecution objected to bail, and while Saldivar sought to present documents proving that he client did not know the license was fake, Magistrate Stewart denied bail and Dawson has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until February twenty-seventh.
Answorth Erwin Dawson
Gonzalez, however, had better luck when he appeared before Magistrate Roberto Ordonez. He was also charged with Uttering a False Document and again, the prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that the police investigation is ongoing and additional charges may follow. Gonzalez was also said to be a flight risk since he is a car dealer and travels to the U.S. regularly. But Gonzalez’ attorney’s Anthony Sylvester argued that the court should not deny bail to a person in order for the police to continue investigations because this will lead to an abuse of process. Magistrate Ordonez granted bail to Gonzalez in the sum of five thousand dollars and his next court date was set for March thirtieth.
Good that they busted this fools…
Anyone who is familiar with the gun licensing procedures know that you go through the hassle of applying first… A month or so later you get a letter, weather they reject your application or approve it YOU GET A LETTER from the commissioner. You then take that letter from the commissioner to the gun store and purchase the gun. After that you take the gun and the letter to the licensing officer in either Belize City or Belmopan along with your receipt and get the PAPER LICENSE. After you have received the paper license you can then get the CARD that they are talking about here.
They are foolish to think they could have purchased guns with the cards because the cards have the brand of the gun, model, and serial number…They wouldn’t know those details until they purchased the guns.
JAIL THEM, NOT FOR FORGING DOCUMENTS BUT FOR BEING SO STUPID.
To Islander. For them to be Police and Ex-Police Officers makes them 2 Jack-a–es that don’t even know the rules and Law pertaining to this subject matter. Not all Cops are Jack-a–es or idiots, but idiots like these 2 make our Law Enforcement Department look bad. Can you imagine that people?. I agree with you Islander, lock dem !-$$ da Lamada mek dem mek bangles wid fu dem Cell key an forget dem backside back deh.
Everyone knows what the police department is trying to do. Like all while collar crimes in Belize, it is the smallest of the bunch that gets the $#**!@ end of the stick. This same constable is just being persecuted for being a constant whistle blower for the crimes that he saw being committed with the same firearm license process. During his tenure he has been commended for being a stand up guy not scared to uncover other people’s dirt.