_{Photo: Xochil Natalie Lopez, remanded}

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Nov. 28, 2024

Tonight, the wife of businessman Joshua Moses Ashburn of Western Avenue joins him behind bars on four criminal offenses, including kept prohibited firearm and ammunitions and 2 counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

She is 37-year-old businesswoman Xochil Natalie Lopez, a resident of #1 Halfmoon Street, Belmopan.

Late this evening Lopez, who was represented in court by attorney Dale Cayetano (former Family Court Director), appeared before a Senior Magistrate in Court #6.

Inside the courtroom, Lopez was read four criminal offenses, one count of kept prohibited firearm without a gun license for a black Glock Gen 5 USA 40 calibre pistol, one count of kept prohibited ammunitions for 24 .40 S&B, S&W brand live rounds of ammunitions; and two counts of possession of a controlled drug for 7,311.91 grams of cannabis and 1,696.44 grams of cannabis.

Lopez pleaded not guilty to all charges; but, due to the nature of the offenses she was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until January 20, 2025. The sitting Senior Magistrate of Court #6 told her that under Section 16 of the Crimes Control Criminal & Justice Act, the Magistrate’s hands are tied from offering her bail.

Lopez was advised that she has the right to apply for bail at the High Court with the assistance of her attorney.

Lopez now joins her husband, Joshua Moses Ashburn, 47, a businessman and a resident of #6917 Western Avenue, Belize City. Ashburn, along with 2 others, Mario Fernandez and 20-year-old Keenan O’Connor, had been charged earlier.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, while the trio all pleaded not guilty to the kept prohibited firearm and ammunitions, Ashburn wanted to plead guilty to the two counts of possession of a controlled drug. He told the court he was guilty to possession “simplicita” but not with intent to supply anyone. He said that, however, he never got an opportunity to speak to his attorney.

Meanwhile, O’Connor and Fernandez pleaded not guilty to all four counts.

However, the sitting Senior Magistrate of Court #6 told Ashburn that the charge before the court is for possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply, and so she could not accept a plea for a lesser charge; thus, his guilty plea for possession simplicita was rejected, and a plea of not guilty entered on his behalf.

Fernandez told the court that he only went there for work, that he never knew drugs was at the yard. Fernandez was represented in court on Monday by attorney Sharon Pitts-Robateau.

The four persons now facing the charges will appear together for the first time on January 20, 2025.