Police officers visited a residence at #22 Allan Pitts Crescent in Belize City on the morning of Tuesday, September 3, 2013, to conduct a search for illegal firearms.[1] No illegal firearms were discovered on the premises, inside the house, or on the person of the resident during the inspection.[1] During the search of the house, officers instead discovered suspected cannabis concealed inside a pillowcase.[1] When weighed by police, the seized plant material amounted to 106 grams.[1]
Resident Barbara Ogaldez, 38, was formally charged with drug trafficking when she appeared before Magistrate Leslie Hamilton that afternoon.[1] Ogaldez entered a plea of not guilty to the drug trafficking charge.[1] Court records examined during the arraignment revealed that Ogaldez had an outstanding balance of $330 owed to the court.[1] Magistrate Hamilton exercised his discretion and granted Ogaldez until Monday, September 2, to pay half of that outstanding fine.[1]
The court offered her bail in the amount of $1,000 along with one surety of the same amount.[1] Because she was unable to meet the bail conditions, Ogaldez was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.[1] She was ordered to return to the magistrate’s court for her next hearing on October 18, 2013.[1]
