US fugitive caught in Belize with a load of cold cash

William Russell Jewett Jr.

The long arms of the law caught up with a U.S. fugitive hiding in Belize. Acting on a tip, police investigations led them to a boat at the Cucumber Beach Marina on the Western Highway. Last Friday the cops searched the boat “Latitude Adjustment”, owned by US National William Russell Jewett Junior and found not only the fugitive, but a load of cold cash. Jewett had over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in various currencies hidden in the closet of the master bedroom of the vessel. As police press officer, Assistant Superintendent Bart Jones told News Five, Jewett was taken into custody pending the outcome of Money Laundering charges in Magistrates’ Court.

ASP Bart Jones, Acting Police Press Officer

“Police received information on the possible location of a fugitive in Belize who is wanted by the authorities in the United States. Police went there, found him onboard the vessel. As well, they conducted a search of the vessel which resulted in the monies found onboard.  As soon as the determination of the money laundering case, he will be expelled from Belize.”

Delahnie Bain

“How much money was found on Mr. Jewett’s boat?”

ASP Bart Jones

“It was, if my memory serves me right, a hundred and twenty thousand US dollars. There was quite a number of Euros, pesos and few Belize dollars.

Lattitude Adjustment

The police had called in Customs so the Customs Department is actually in control of the vessel and they are going to determine whether he made the necessary declaration of the vessel while entering Belize and that kind of thing. But it is in the custody of the Customs Department.”

Jewett was to be arraigned for Money Laundering today but because the Financial Intelligence Unit indicated that it would proceed summarily instead of on indictment, an adjournment was granted until tomorrow. He is wanted in the United States for weapon possession and fraud.