Man Sentenced for Burglarizing His Mother’s Home

A 29-year-old Biscayne Village man who admitted burglarizing his own mother’s home has been sentenced to two years in prison after changing his plea to guilty in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court.  Ashton Andre Armstrong appeared before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison this week, where he withdrew his not guilty plea and accepted responsibility for the burglary committed earlier this year at his mother’s residence in Washing Tree, Biscayne Village.  Before entering his guilty plea, Armstrong requested a sentencing indication from the court to determine the likely penalty he would face. Senior Magistrate Dennison explained that while the offence carries a statutory minimum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment and could attract as much as ten years if dealt with summarily, the application of the sentencing guidelines and available mitigating factors could reduce the sentence to 24 months.  Following a brief adjournment to consider the indication, Armstrong returned to court and formally pleaded guilty.  Armstrong also addressed the court, explaining that while on remand he had enrolled in the Rehabilitation and Social Change (RSC) programme at the Belize Central Prison as part of his efforts to prepare for a successful reintegration into society.  After considering all the mitigating and aggravating factors, Senior Magistrate Dennison imposed a sentence of two years’ imprisonment. Because the sentence was backdated to February 2, 2026, when Armstrong was first remanded into custody, he has approximately 19 months remaining to serve.  The burglary occurred on January 29, when Armstrong’s mother, 48-year-old Valmy Verlina Reyes, reported leaving her home secured before travelling to Belize City for work. She later received information that her son had entered the house without permission. Police were called, and Reyes discovered that household items had been taken.  The stolen items were subsequently found in the upstairs portion of the residence where Armstrong lived, leading to his arrest and subsequent charge of burglary.