US fugitive Martin Petrella caught in Belize
A number of fugitives have recently been caught in Belize. Coming on the heels of Monday’s capture of William Russell Jewett Jr., another U.S. national will be spending the night behind bars. Earlier today Ladyville police made the bust at two-thirty p.m. on Thursday after receiving a tip that fifty-three year old Martin Petrella, a convicted felon, was using an alias while hiding out in Lords Bank. According to Sergeant Dirk Dyer, Deputy in Charge of the Ladyville Police Formation, Petrella faces sixteen to forty years in prison when he gets back on U.S. soil.
Jose Sanchez
“Was he using the same name?”
Sergeant Dirk Dyer, Deputy in Charge of Ladyville Police Formation
“No, actually they say that he was in Belize for the past over a year now and he was using the alias Kevin Smith.
Jose Sanchez
“Do you usually find fugitives in this area?”
Sgt. Dirk Dyer
“Well, you know from time to time we do. They would visit all parts of the country figuring that they could probably thinking they could seek safe haven. We gathered that his actual name is Martin Petrella and he is from Fort Collins, Colorado.”
Jose Sanchez
“What is he wanted for in Colorado?”
Sgt. Dirk Dyer
“The information we got so far is that he was convicted for burglary and thereafter he received a short prison term and he actually absconded on parole. So he is wanted for that and other offences by US.”
Jose Sanchez
“Who is coming for him from the States?”
Sgt. Dirk Dyer
We believe it’s the US Marshals. However, at this point he is police custody and he will be handed over to Immigration so that they can deal with him.”
Jose Sanchez
“How did you find out that he was in Belize?”
Sgt. Dirk Dyer
“We got a tip from a caller saying that this guy was living in the Lords Bank area. As a result of that, we then visited an area and that’s where we found him.”
Petrella and Jewett aren’t the only wanted U.S. nationals to be found recently in Belize. In September 2009, Derrick Yancey, a former sheriff’s deputy, who is accused of double homicide was caught in Punta Gorda and deported the same month. Only one month ago, Robert Snyder, a known child molester, was deported from Belize after he was found tutoring chess students in Belize City.
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