Man and female minor charged for blackmail

Edwin Omar Flores

Coming up, we’ll have a report on the fatal traffic accident… But in the court, a twenty-three-year-old man along with his sixteen year old girlfriend, who is originally from Honduras, were both remanded into custody today when they appeared before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. They were both charged for their alleged involvement in a case of blackmail and extortion. Allegations are that on Tuesday, Edwin Flores, a Construction Worker of Bain Street, along with his under-aged girlfriend, acted together to blackmail Wilbert Valencia of eight thousand dollars. Flores was charged with one count of blackmail. The minor was arraigned on a single count of abetment to commit blackmail. Allegations made against her are that she purposefully aided Flores to commit the offense. No plea was taken from either of the two and the prosecution strongly objected to bail being granted to both defendants. But before the minor could have been remanded, a social worker, Monique Hulse, from the Community Rehabilitation Department, informed the court that the minor had been abused while in police custody. In fact, both defendants explain to the court how they were tortured by the police so that they would implicate themselves in the blackmail. Senior Magistrate Fraser ordered that Flores be taken to the hospital for medical attention before being remanded to the Belize Central Prison.   Prosecutor, Inspector, Hector Rodriguez objected to bail and both were remanded into custody.   Allegations are that police who were tipped by Valencia and a sting operation was set up at the Lord Ridge Cemetery in Belize City, where the money was dropped off.  The couple was remanded until September sixteenth.