In February of 2012, it made major news when Special Constable Jose Haylock became the second lawman busted by the Gang Suppression Unit with an illegal firearm. Unlike Corporal Gino Peck who famously managed to beat his case in court, Haylock is spending his first night of a 5 year sentence after he was convicted before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith.
As we reported, on February 11, 2012, members of the GSU raided his house at # 3716 Louise Bevans Street in Belize City with the strength of a search warrant. The officers found a .22 LARGO Brand revolver loaded with 10 live rounds of .22 ammunition, and 11 live rounds 9mm ammunition in 2 separate sections of the house. As a result, Haylock and Martinez were arrested and charged jointly with one count of keeping an unlicensed firearm, and 2 counts of keeping unlicensed ammunition.
Martinez managed to beat the charges today in court when her attorney, Arthur Saldivar, submitted that based on the evidence, she had no case to answer. Chief Magistrate Smith upheld that submission, and acquitted her of all charges.
In Haylock's case, however, he initially pleaded not guilty when he was first arraigned, and maintained his innocence all through that time. That's until today when he suddenly changed it to guilty when videotape evidence of the search was introduced in the case as evidence.
Chief Magistrate Smith sentenced him to serve 5 years for each of the 3 offences. His sentences are to run concurrently, so he will only spend 5 years in jail.
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