The criminal trial against him concluded last week before Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith. She heard evidence led by DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal that between June 1 and July 31 of last year, Vera offered twice to tamper with evidence against Michael Modiri so that Modiri could be acquitted. He was basically offering to take money to make a criminal charge disappear in court.

Modiri didn't have to accept that corrupt offer because a few months afterwards, the firearms charges against him were struck out. His Franks Eddy neighbor, American Tour Operator Bradley Paumen, and 3 other defendants, were charged with perverting the course of justice, for allegedly trying to plant the gun on Modiri, so that he could be sent to jail.

As the main witness in the case against Vera, Modiri told the court that Vera twice offered to make the case go away - by damaging or distorting evidence. Modiri recorded Vera's second attempt to strike up a deal to get rid of evidence. In that case, Vera visited his house in Belmopan and offered to include a police prosecutor who was allegedly willing to help make the case go away. The offer at that time was to manipulate the silencer for the gun, so that it would not work.

Having heard all the evidence against Vera, Chief Magistrate Smith considered the matter for just over a week, and today, she returned with the verdict that he was guilty of abetment to pervert the course of justice.

She has deferred sentencing until June 8, to give Vera and his attorney, Anthony Sylvestre, a chance to get character witnesses to testify on his behalf.

The significance of Vera's conviction is that he has been the key witness in a number of firearms related cases which the Police Department and the Crown Counsels depend on in criminal trials. He is one of several firearms examiners who the court turns to as an expert. So, now that the court has found that he acted corruptly shows that he is an expert at hustling and ballistics, it puts many cases under a dark cloud. Sources tell us that other allegations like this one have surfaced against Vera, but this case was the first where actionable evidence was provided.

So, does that mean that all the cases that he is involved with are now open to challenge? Well, we spoke with DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal on that matter, and she told us that from the time her office was alerted to the complaint, she and the other crown counsels made sure that whenever he was called to testify as an expert witness, the cases were insulated from that doubt that his conviction now brings up. She said that in instances where it could be avoided, the crown simply did not call him as a witness.