18 year-old Belize City resident Richard Bennett Jr. is at the Belize Central Prison tonight after he pleaded guilty to being in possession of an illegal handgun.
Police conducted an early raid this morning just before 6:00. Bennett was there with his his parents, and his 4 sisters. The officers searched the entire house, and the yard. They found a Teck 9 assault weapon, loaded with 15 live rounds of ammunition. The gun was hidden in the chassis of a truck that was parked in the yard. Police charged the entire family of 7 with keeping a prohibited firearm, and keeping unlicensed ammunition.
They were all arraigned before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza, where Bennett accepted guilt for the illegal weapon, which allowed for the charges to be withdrawn against his parents and his sisters.
But, that got him a stiff sentence; Magistrate Mendoza sentenced him to 3 years for the gun, and 5 years for the ammunition. They are to run concurrently, and so, he will serve a total of 5 years.
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