He terrorized tourist interest in western Belize for over a year and now police say they have the Guatemalan ringleader for the gang of bandits that preyed on tourists and resorts 14 times between July of 2005 and June of this year. The man identified as 44-year-old Guatemalan Geronimo Cortez Gonzalez was brought into Belize City today where he was arraigned in the Magistrate's Court on 14 counts of robbery and other related charges are expected to follow. Head of the National Crimes Investigation Branch Sr. Superintendent James Magdaleno explains how the police caught up with their suspect.
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno, Commander - NCIB
"His name is Geronimo Cortez Gonzalez. We got information on Tuesday the 9th of September 2006 that a man was seen in the Arenal area, Belize side, that fits the description of one of the robbers. So immediately we moved into the area and there we apprehended this person and he was positively identified by fourteen people that were in several robberies. To exact, 12 robberies in the Cayo District. He was identified because from the initial investigation, it was revealed to us that he was the ringleader, mastermind. He was always in front and he gave the directives and instructions for the others to do. So he was easily identified. Since those incidents occurred we have arrested three persons."
Alfonso Noble,
Are you looking to catch anymore of these guys?
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno,
"Oh definitely. As soon as we get information, we continue to work. We will go after them as soon as the information comes in. Again we have preventative patrols in the area of both forces, Belize Defense Force and the Police and we will continue to investigate and patrol those areas on a daily basis."
Alfonso Noble,
How many more men are you looking for?
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno,
"The information we got is that there were six to seven. So we are still on the lookout and any information we receive, we will move right away and apprehend them."
Gonzalez has been remanded without bail. He was brought into Belize City and not charged in the Cayo District for security reasons. Geronimo Cortez Gonzales joins two other men, Henry Gonzalez and Marcus Molina who had been charged earlier as part of the gang.
