Belizean National Held by ICE in Houston

Thirty-three-year-old Loria was detained on February 16 in Houston, Texas by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for immigration-related offences. Love News has confirmed that, at this time, there is no public information indicating additional U.S. criminal charges. Authorities say he could remain in detention for several months, particularly if he is pursuing an asylum claim.  A senior law enforcement source confirmed the detention to our newsroom.  Investigators familiar with Loria’s background say he fled to the United States in 2023 after surviving a near-fatal shooting that reportedly left him paralyzed. According to those sources, the attack was believed to be retaliatory in nature.  Police intelligence further alleges that Loria had been a suspect in the 2023 killing of Jose Matus, described by investigators as a suspected drug figure, a development they believe may have triggered the violent response against him. Authorities also indicate that Loria was believed to have been in conflict with another operative reportedly involved in funneling drugs from Mexico into Belize. Speaking to Love News, former Commissioner of Police Chester Williams said Loria’s name has surfaced in multiple serious police matters over the years.

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport: “I don’t want to comment much about it at this time, but certainly yes, he was on our radar and we have indeed gathered information that he was connected to one of the cartel groups in Mexico, and so when I saw the news that he was captured it was no surprise to me. He fled Belize for whatever reason that he went to the USA. I believe he was seeking asylum. I am not sure how far he got with that. But like you rightly reported, he is now in the custody of the US authorities and it’s a matter for them to deal with now.”

Records show Loria’s encounters with violence date back several years. In December 2020, Corozal police responded to his residence after he was found suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest and leg following an attack by an unknown gunman.  In January 2023, he again reported being shot while driving near the Belama area in Belize City. Then in May 2023, Loria was among several men injured in a dramatic shootout that reportedly began in Progresso Village, Corozal District, and ended near the New River, where one man later disappeared after jumping into the water. At the time, then Police Minister Kareem Musa indicated the incident was believed to be drug-related.  Loria’s criminal history stretches back to 2014, when he was charged alongside three others in connection with a major robbery in the Corozal Free Zone involving more than one million Mexican pesos. He was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and granted bail.  Despite online speculation attempting to link Loria to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Belizean authorities stress that no official confirmation of cartel membership has been received through formal law enforcement channels.  For now, officials say Loria’s situation in the United States remains strictly an immigration matter, and Belizean authorities will await any formal communication from U.S. officials or Interpol regarding whether further charges may emerge.