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He was Belize City’s most wanted man and tonight Leroy Gomez is in police custody. It seems the pressure of being a fugitive with your picture plastered on the news ever night was too great and this morning, accompanied by his mother he turned himself into police. 7NEWS was at the police station when he turned up. Jacqueline Godwin reports.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Around eleven this morning twenty two year old Leroy Lindon Gomez, the alleged serial rapist walked into the Crimes Investigation Branch and handed himself in.

ASP Julio Valdez, CIB
“Well you know Jackie we were looking for him because he was picked as being the rapist and this morning he decided to hand himself in along with his mother.”

Leroy Gomez who was wanted by police for four rape cases and one attempted incident was accompanied by his mother Beverly Patterson. She told 7NEWS she decided to bring her son in to the police after a family acquaintance and Sergeant went by their home and advised them to bring him to the authorities. Patterson says she was concerned that the search for her son would have had a deadly end.

Beverly Patterson, Mother of accused rapist
“Because the Sergeant talked to me and told me the better thing to do was to bring him in.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
He went to your house last night?

Beverly Patterson,
“Yes mam, this morning.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
I know the police advised people to do what should be done, others don’t follow that advice. What did he say to make you realize you should bring him in?

Beverly Patterson,
“Because I don’t want them to shoot him because all those other ones said they would shoot him if we didn’t bring him in. So I didn’t want them to shoot him so I brought him in.”

Beverly Patterson who still believes that her son is innocent says it has been a nightmare for the family and she hopes that now that her son is in custody the harassment will end.

Beverly Patterson,
“I don’t know Leroy as no rapist or no maniac as that. I know him as a man who goes to jail for stealing.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
I know at least one of the victims has told us here at the 7NEWS that it was your son who attacked her.

Beverly Patterson,
“He is convicted before he is caught because he wasn’t caught yet when they had his picture all over the place, all on TV and all about. So that person could have gotten paid to do that.”

Not so says officer in charge of Crimes Investigation Branch in Belize City Assistant Superintendent Julio Valdez. Valdez says the police issued to the media the picture of Leroy Gomez after he was positively identified by the victims when they gave their statements.

Beverly Patterson,
“He says he didn’t do it. He said he didn’t do anything like what they say he did.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
So you’re not believing any of the victims here?

Beverly Patterson,
“No and anyone who believes that my child did it, I can’t tell them anything and I don’t want to tell them nothing because they could do what they feel like, they could please their hearts just like anybody else but I know my son didn’t do that.”

On Friday twenty two year old Leroy Lindon Gomez will be taken to the Magistrate Court. He has been charged with four counts of rape and one count of attempted rape. Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7NEWS.

We’ll keep following the story and tell you how it goes when he appears in court tomorrow.