Teen Takes Blame for Drug Bust, Adults Walk Free

Three individuals, including a 16-year-old minor, appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court today on drug charges stemming from a weekend bust where 85 grams of weed were found at a Southside residence.  The accused are 37-year-old, Melanie Mai, and 24-year-old Deandra Parham, both residents of the Lake Independence Area, along with the minor. All three were jointly charged with two counts of possession of a controlled drug, totaling 89 grams. The bust occurred on Sunday, at a yard on Holy Emmanuel Street where police found the trio present during a search that uncovered the illicit drugs.  While the two adult females pleaded not guilty to the charges, the minor pleaded guilty, accepting full responsibility for the drugs found.  In light of the minor’s guilty plea, the Prosecutor withdrew the charges against Mai and Parham, allowing them to walk free.  Sentencing for the minor has been delayed as Magistrate Ludlow Black ordered a Social Inquiry Report (SIR) from the Community Rehabilitation Department. This report is expected to be ready by September 5, before an appropriate sentence can be handed down.  The minor was released into the care of his mother on bail set at $1,500 plus one surety of the same amount. Conditions for his bail include a curfew, requiring him to be indoors between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and a requirement to report to the Mahogany Street Police Station every Friday.