_{Photo: Michael Bowen, sentenced}

BELIZE CITY, Fri. Nov. 1, 2024

Michael Bowen, 28, must serve 19 years, 11 months and 22 days more behind bars after being convicted of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl.

Bowen, who was initially remanded to prison for one week when he was first accused of the sexual crimes, learned exactly how much more time he has to serve behind bars for the heinous sexual offenses.

On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Bowen, who was tried for two counts of rape of a child under 16 and two counts of sexual assault by penetration, was found guilty of 3 of those 4 counts.

Bowen was convicted of one count of sexual assault for touching the child inappropriately on her private parts on December 14, 2021 in Belize City, and one count of rape for having sexual intercourse with the minor on that same day. Another charge of sexual assault of a child and a rape charge were brought against him for touching the child inappropriately on another occasion on December 20, 2021, and subsequently having sexual intercourse with the minor on that day.

This morning, Bowen appeared before Justice Candace Nanton, who sentenced him to 19 years 11 months and 22 days for each of the 2 counts of rape, and 6 years 11 months for sexual assault.

Justice Nanton ordered that Bowen’s three sentences are to run concurrently and not consecutively; hence, he will only serve 19 years 11 months and 22 days in prison instead of 46 years and 10 months.

The trial for Bowen commenced on July 29, 2024, and concluded on August 2, 2024.

Bowen was initially out on bail of $8,000 plus two sureties of $4,000 each, but on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Justice Nanton revoked his bail and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.

That week that he spent on remand was deducted from his sentence.