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Well known Orange walk resident and FFB Executive member Rawell Pelayo came home yesterday after 21 months in US custody. He was deported and his sudden return caused much speculation as to how he got out from under narcotics charges brought by the US Federal government. Well, it turns out, Rawell Pelayo made a plea bargain. Court documents obtained by 7News show that in June of 2014 he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the narcotics laws of the United States.

In his hearing before SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK judge, Andrew Carter, oon the afternoon of June 30th., Pelayo told the court, quote, "between October 2010 and May 2011, I played a role in (a) conspiracy…My role was to attend a meeting to introduce a drug buyer to a potential dealer. My motivation was this: I was having a very significant difficulty, losing

my home, with my kids, the only home I have, so I was hoping to get some money out of this, out of this brokering between these two people." End quote.

He continued, quote, "I am unaware if any deal took place…I never received any money for my participation." And he added, quote "The drug conspiracy involved at least 500 grams of cocaine. And I knew what I was doing….I knew it was illegal. I knew it was wrong. And it was…the intention of the drug buyer to bring his drugs to New York, and I knew -- I knew that as well" End quote.

Later in his sentencing hearing in October of 2014 before the same judge, Pelayo repeated that story with the explanation that the bank was foreclosing on his home.

Judge Carter agreed to a lesser sentence of 24 months. He cautioned Pelayo, saying he hopes he has learned from the experience and wished him well for when he is deported to Belize.