By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 25-year-old Belize City maintenance worker who admitted to trafficking 114.4 grams (about 4 ounces or a quarter pound) of cannabis was spared immediate jail time on Monday after receiving a one-year suspended sentence, a $3,000 fine, and strict conditions to remain offense-free for the next two years.
Jerome Jason Nunez, 25, appeared unrepresented before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, where he was read a single charge of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.
The charge arose from a police bust on Thursday, April 9, 2026, along Casarina Street, Belize City.
Nunez pleaded guilty and accepted the facts as read in court.
In mitigation, he told the Magistrate, “I just purchased the weed. I’m the only one working in my house.” He explained that he had just been paid from his job and used that money to buy the marijuana, but was caught shortly afterward.
He also apologized to the court for his actions.
The Magistrate noted that this was not Nunez’s first drug conviction, and said that his prior record was treated as an aggravating factor in sentencing.
The court said the offense fell under Category 3 because of the quantity involved, and used one year as the starting point, increasing it by six months because of his previous drug conviction. However, Nunez received a one-third discount of six months for his early guilty plea, reducing the sentence back to 12 months.
Despite the conviction, the Magistrate decided against sending him to prison immediately and instead imposed a 12-month suspended sentence for a period of two years.
This means that if Nunez is convicted of any offense within the next two years, he risks serving the full one-year prison sentence.
In addition, he was fined $3,000 plus $5 court costs, which he must pay by September 30, 2026. If he defaults on payment, he faces three years’ imprisonment.
According to police, the arrest happened around 2:30 p.m. on April 9, when officers were conducting mobile patrol on Casarina Street.
Police said their attention was drawn to a man acting suspiciously while riding a female bicycle. When he noticed the police, he allegedly began riding away quickly.
He was intercepted at the corner of Casarina and Mahogany Streets, where officers searched a blue knapsack he was carrying and discovered a bag containing green leafy substance suspected to be cannabis.
The suspect was escorted to the police station, where he was identified as Jerome Jason Nunez and later charged.
Tonight, Nunez remains a free man, but only so long as he stays out of trouble for the next two years.
The post Man lucky to get suspended sentence and $3,000 fine after using pay from work to buy quarter pound of weed to sell and being busted appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 25-year-old Belize City maintenance worker who admitted to trafficking 114.4 grams (about 4 ounces or a quarter pound) of cannabis was spared immediate jail time on Monday after receiving a one-year suspended sentence, a $3,000 fine, and strict conditions to remain offense-free for the next two years. Jerome Jason
The post Man lucky to get suspended sentence and $3,000 fine after using pay from work to buy quarter pound of weed to sell and being busted appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
