By Breaking Belize News Staff: Two Southside Belize City residents were fined on Thursday after pleading guilty to possession of utensils used for smoking crack cocaine.
Russell James, 37, a maintenance labourer of West Canal; Israel Usher, 27, of West Canal; and Khaline Thurton, 34, a labourer of Cemetery Lane in the Yaborough area, appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, June 25, 2026, on a charge of possession of utensils for smoking a controlled drug.
Police reported that earlier that day, the trio was found on Euphrates Avenue in possession of two pipes: a silver pipe measuring three inches in length and a glass pipe also measuring three inches. Both were allegedly made or adapted for use in connection with the smoking of crack cocaine.
At arraignment, James pleaded not guilty, while Usher and Thurton pleaded guilty, each taking responsibility for one of the pipes. As a result, James was freed of the charge.
Usher was fined $100 plus a $5 cost of court, which he must pay by July 31, 2026, or serve one month in prison. The court noted that while Usher was a first-time offender for possession of utensils, he has previous convictions for possession of controlled drugs.
Thurton, who was not a first-time offender for possession of utensils, was fined $350 plus a $5 cost of court, which she must pay by August 31, 2026, or serve three months in prison.
The court noted that this was Thurton’s third conviction for possession of a crack pipe. She was also convicted in May and fined $305, which remains outstanding.
The sitting magistrate warned Thurton that another conviction for possession of a pipe could result in a prison sentence.
The post Two fined after pleading guilty to possession of crack pipes appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Two Southside Belize City residents were fined on Thursday after pleading guilty to possession of utensils used for smoking crack cocaine. Russell James, 37, a maintenance labourer of West Canal; Israel Usher, 27, of West Canal; and Khaline Thurton, 34, a labourer of Cemetery Lane in the Yaborough area, appeared
The post Two fined after pleading guilty to possession of crack pipes appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.