Today, Francisco Gomez, a resident of Mile 24 on the George Price Highway, pled guilty to handling stolen goods after he was found in possession of a truck rim, valued at $2,000, which belonged to Joe Fuzzy, a businessman of Belize Aggregates Ltd., located at Mile 21 on the George Price Highway.
He had been out on bail after initially pleading not guilty to the charge of handling stolen goods.
However, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith today, he changed his plea to guilty. Gomez, who reportedly assisted in the removal of the truck rim from Fuzzy’s business place on October 25, 2012, told the Chief Magistrate that he did not want to plead guilty, although he admitted that he had indeed assisted some men in stashing the stolen rim, but claimed that he was not a part of the group that actually stole the rim.
He then asked the Chief Magistrate for leniency on his behalf, and since he had no previous convictions, he was fined $150 plus $5 cost of court, which is to be paid by November 29, 2013, in default of which he would serve 6 months in prison.
Fuzzy, of Saint Matthews Village, reported to police that on October 25, 2012, at about 3:17 p.m., he received information which led him to visit his business place, Belize Aggregates Ltd., where he met two men with the truck rim, which he immediately recognized as his property. Fuzzy reported that the rim was not where he had left it, as it was found in an open lot in the area.
As a result, police arrested and charged Gomez, who lives in the area, for the offense of handling stolen goods.