Three officers – Police Constable (PC) #781 Lauren Flowers, 24, of Roaring Creek; PC #446 Allyson Muslar, 24, of #74 Eve Street in Belize City; and PC Hersel Garcia, 29, of Lords Bank – have been caught on the wrong side of the law. They appeared today in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court where they were read separate charges for human trafficking and for sexually assaulting three females who had entered the country illegally.
The men, all represented in court by different attorneys – Dickie Bradley, Michael Peyrefitte and Linsbert Willis – were offered bail this evening, which they were able to meet. All bail offered was “house and lot” bail.
Today police held a press briefing at the Racoon Street Police Station at 10:00 a.m. to tell the media how they were able to make the first break in what they believe is a smuggling ring for illegal immigrants. Westby said that the police strongly believe that the men are a part of a bigger ring of international traffickers taking Central American immigrants through Belize to Mexico, from where they would then head on to the United States.
Commissioner of Police, Gerald Westby, told the media that he was certain that the group is very big, consisting of even Immigration officers.
Westby said that they had been receiving reports that some of his policemen were involved in transporting illegal immigrants through Belize, so they set up a roadblock at Miles 70 and 71 on the Northern Highway.
Sometime around 2:00 in the morning on Sunday, they saw a blue Toyota Camry car approaching them in a northerly direction, coming from Orange Walk Town heading for Corozal Town. In the car was PC Flowers, who was travelling alone. Police figured that Flowers manned the lead car, so after stopping Flowers the men waited at the checkpoint.
Some minutes later, they saw a blue Mazda van coming up the road. That vehicle was stopped also, and inside police found PC Muslar and eight illegal immigrants. None of the immigrants – 6 Salvadorans and 2 Hondurans – had any travelling documents.
The policemen, along with the illegal immigrants, three of whom are minors, were taken to the Corozal Police Station.
The immigrants told police that they paid at least $1,500 to be transported through the country. The ages of the immigrants are 14, 15, 17, two aged 23, 24, and two aged 26.
Flowers had been on a sick leave for 40 days, while Muslar was not on duty. They were both in civilian clothing, Commissioner Westby said.
Westby, saying that he could not comment because of ongoing investigations, said that while investigating Mark Seawell, who is remanded in Belize pending extradition hearings to the United States, PC Muslar’s name came up in connection with Seawell.
In connection with the immigrants in custody, Westby said that Ava Pennell, a representative of the Human Services Department, was present at the briefing and she said that they have decided that the immigrants would not be charged, noting that under the human trafficking act, the immigrants are victims.
She said that they are being counseled at this time. They have not yet decided what will happen to the 8 people.
Police initially had only arrested two of the officers – Flowers and Muslar. The third arrest, of PC Hersel Garcia, was made later after a report had been taken from the immigrants.
Shortly after 2:00 today, the men appeared before Chief Magistrate Margaret Gabb-McKenzie.
McKenzie, after telling Muslar that he was being charged with 8 separate counts of human trafficking and three counts of transporting children, noting that three of the immigrants are minors, asked for his plea.
In addition to those charges, under the Immigration law Muslar will be charged for purposely aiding and abetting by transporting illegal immigrants. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Next she read the charges for Flowers, which are assisting Muslar to transport illegal immigrants. She asked for his plea, and he said not guilty.
Garcia was later read four counts of aggravated assault and two counts of theft. Magistrate McKenzie told him that it was alleged that after the 8 illegal immigrants were found, that they were taken to Mile 13 ¼ at the police booth near the cut-off to Burrell Boom, where he, Garcia, strip-searched the group. It was then that he allegedly indecently assaulted the girls by “fingling” them (touching their genitals).
A doctor tested the girls and certified that they had indeed been tampered with.
The theft charge derived from a report from two of the male members of the illegal immigrants, who claimed that when they were searched Garcia took $50 US and $75 US respectively from them.
Garcia also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution objected to bail, but McKenzie granted bail of $10,000 to Muslar; $7,000 to Flowers and $7,000 to Garcia. All the men were able to meet bail and are scheduled to reappear in court.
The immigrants had only arrived in Belize a day prior to the arrest of the policemen.