U.S. national behind bars for firearm offenses

A U.S. national will spend the next few days behind bars after he was detained at the International Airport as he was attempting to leave Belize yesterday. Twenty-six year old Mathew Johnson of Missouri, who was attempting to board his four o’clock flight, appeared in court today and was charged with Keeping a Prohibited firearm and Keeping Ammunition Without a Gun License. Johnson pleaded not guilty to the charges saying he has a U.S. license for the firearm, an XD point forty caliber Springfield pistol, which he was allowed to bring into Belize when he arrived on September sixth. Magistrate Roberto Ordonez explained to Johnson that the court cannot offer bail and he was remanded in custody until October seventeenth. A security officer at the Philip Goldson International raised the red flag when the pistol was spotted in a black bag inside Johnson’s suitcase. Police also found two empty magazines and a red and white box that contained fifty-six rounds of point forty calibre ammunition.