19 year-old Belize City resident Rene Castillo would only have had to pay a fine if he only fessed up to having a weed joint on him. But, he decided to try and bribe a police officer out of being charged for it, and he's now at the Belize Central Prison because of that.
The encounter happened this morning at around 9:20 on Pelican Street, a stone's throw away from the Raccoon Street Police Headquarters. Police Constable Manuel Chub saw him walking on the street, and decided to stop and search him. The officer found 2.5 grams, a negligible quantity which is less than an ounce – of weed, and the officer intended to charge him with drug possession.
Castillo tried to convince him not to bring the charge, and he offered to pay the officer $50, because he's never been in trouble with the law before.
The officer resisted, and then charged him with drug possession, and bribery. He was arraigned before Magistrate Herbert Panton this evening, and he pleaded guilty to both offences. He begged the Magistrate not to send him to Jail, but bribery is a serious offence. Because he was a first time offender, he was sentenced to 6 months in prison. For the drug possession charge he tried to get out of, he was sentenced to pay $100, or serve 1 month in prison if he defaults.
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