Last night, we told you about the American who showed up with the Philip Goldson International Airport with a whole lotta weed in his luggage. Police have since charged him with drug trafficking, and so tonight, we can reveal that he's 47-year-old Francis John Minitello, a resident of Los Angeles, California.
As we reported, sometime around 3:00 yesterday evening, after he landed at the airport, a customs officer searched his bags. Inside his luggage, the officer discovered multiple bags of suspected marijuana to a total amount of 1.475 kilograms or 3 and a quarter pounds. The officer also found what is believed to be concentrated cannabis wax, and in a separate bag, the officer also found what are believed to be cannabis seeds.
The officer called in Ladyville police, who took Minitello into custody. They have since charged him with possession of controlled drugs with the intent to supply and the importation of controlled drugs.
He was arraigned today in Magistrate's Court, and this evening, his attorney told court reporters that the prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that he is not a Belizean and this a flight risk. She submitted to the court that he does have ties to Belize because he performs humanitarian work in Placencia. Here's how she explained that he uses the drugs for medicinal purposes after suffering 2 serious injuries in his previous line of work:
Michelle Trapp - Attorney for the Defendant "He is a retired paramedic fireman and by virtue of that work that he use to do, he suffered an injury which led him to having to do two reconstructive surgery and so, while he had cannabis in his possession, the client had it with a license that he obtained from Los Angeles and as such, he uses it for medicinal purposes. We explained to the court that the defendant takes a total of 14 different pills for his ailment, he has screws in his back and that the marijuana is really used for medicinal purposes. The court agreed with our submission and granted bail on the basis as whether or not the defendant will appear for his trail, so bail was granted to the defendant today, in the sum of 6 thousand dollars, himself plus one surety and he is to reappear in front of the court in April of this year."
Late evening reports are that Minitello could not meet the 6-thousand-dollar sign bail, and so he was transferred to the Belize Central Prison. That's where he will remain until bail arrangements are made on his behalf.
Minitello's attorney says that her law firm may explore the possibility of bringing a constitutional challenge against the charges on his behalf. If that should occur, the conversation of medicinal marijuana in Belize will become live. As viewers are aware, the Ministry of New Growth Industries is already exploring marijuana and hemp policies.
