Charges of Extortion are Dropped against Special Constable and Police Officer

Charges of extortion have been dropped against a Special Constable and a police officer attached to the San Pedro Police Formation.  An American visitor accused them of shaking him down for three hundred U.S. dollars.  Timothy Braun was on the island when he was busted by the officers on the night of June fifteenth, 2017.  Braun claimed he was ordered by the officers to pay them the money.  Braun cut short his visit to Belize and did not show up to testify in his own trial.  But the crown proceeded to trial against Special Constable Orlando Mendez and Police Constable Nelson Ramos, using the evidence of a co-accused, PC Malcolm Ramirez, who today remains an active member of the police department.  While the crown relied heavily on the statement of the officer, who was given immunity in exchange for his testimony to convict the two other officers, it did not work out for the crown and Justice Colin Williams upheld a no case submission made by attorney Darrell Bradley.  The duo was acquitted this afternoon.