Tonight, our probe into corrupt gun licensing continues - with a testimonial by Marybeth Wade - who says she straight up bought her gun license. The Crooked Tree resident rose to social media prominence when she was caught in a famous social media spat over the affections of Winston "Tanga" James. And when he was killed in downtown Belize City in January of 2022 - she was right beside him and also received a minor injury. That's when she became a national figure, and one with a huge following on social media.
Since then, she's fled to the USA where she is currently seeking asylum and has also gotten married to an American.
And that remove from Belize is perhaps what gave her the courage to speak to Jules Vasquez last night. Our newsroom reached out to her over the weekend when we got information that the infamous Marybeth had also been one of those people who bought a gun license - while having a criminal record.
How did she do it? That's what Jules Vasquez asked her last night when she was driving home from work:
This is Marybeth Wade's Ruger 9 millimetre pistol - which she bought in June 2021 - right after she bought her gun license. She did this while having a police record - and being the partner of Winston Tanga James - a known underworld figure and police target.
Despite all that, she says the deal came to her easy:
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"The thing is - it's if you have the money - once you have the money - it doesn't matter if you have a police record, because I have a record. It costs me like $7,500. That consists of the gun licensed and of the gun. You get it within one day."
Jules Vasquez
"How much thousands did they get and how much did you pay for the gun?"
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"I paid $4,500 and the gun was $3,000."
Jules Vasquez
"He says that if you have a criminal record, you can't get a gun licensed. He said that even if you've been detained you can't get a gun licensed. How did you get a gun licensed?"
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"I didn't had to go through the process. This person just contacted me and told me that gun licenses are giving out right now, you interested?"
This is the approval for the license, signed by the commissioner of police, Chester Williams. It was signed, on June 17th, the day before she paid for it in Belmopan:
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"Now, bam, I tell ah - once you get it signed and approved, then I know that I am getting my gun license. So, I got the gun licensed approved and signed the day before I paid for it. So when they sent me the picture of the gun license already approved, its then I gone da Belmopan. When I gone da Belmopan, I gone straight at the police station, meet Bally, give him the money and when I gave him the money, him and I gone da di place and buy the gun. After we bought the gun, we want back to the police station, me Marybeth. Everybody knows me and know that I am into hustling. So I am just telling you how they are corrupt."
"In less than 24 hours, I already have a gun that is licensed."
Jules Vasquez
"And I saw that June 17th approval. That was signed by Chester Williams."
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"It had his signature, yes."
Her license was cancelled 3 months later by that same Commissioner of Police.
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"Chester sent me a letter that how I have to carry in my gun and....anyways, he told me to take in my gun at the nearest police station. I told him why would I take in my gun for, when I already paid to get this licensed and pay for my gun. I told him the only way I would do that if I have the opportunity to sell my gun and I get back my money. So, I got back my money that I paid for my gun licensed and I got the opportunity to sell my licensed gun."
Jules Vasquez
"You were able - you paid someone a bribe and you were able to get back your bribe money and sell the gun?"
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"Yeah. I told them that if I didn't get back my money, I won't lose. The only thing I lost was like $500, because I paid $3,000 for the gun and then I sold it to the man for $2,500."
Jules Vasquez
"So now, are you able to say who you paid or if that person is a police officer and how did they trick the process?"
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"The person is a police officer, the person is working with Chester, is working at Belmopan. That's all I will say, because at the end of the day I have no problem with him and he has my back."
And she had his too.
Jules Vasquez
"You said that you hooked some other friends as well, right."
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"Yeah, the one who helped me get the gun licensed, said to try see how much people you could find. The more people you find, then you will get a cut too. So, like okay then, no problem."
"It's like a whole scheme and I am not asking them, I am telling them that I got 5 people to buy the gun licenses too."
Jules Vasquez
"But these people did not have criminal records. So if they did not criminal records, why didn't they just apply normal?"
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"They say they don't really want anyone who has a criminal record, because it will look bad that I have a record and I got one. So they want people without criminal record, just once you get a gun, you just pay them and then they get it right away. In 24 hours, you get a gun if you have the money."
Jules Vasquez
"If they didn't have criminal record, why didn't they just apply the regular way? right, like you could just make an application and save yourself."
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"Because the regular takes long. People don't want to have to go through all of that vetting and all of that. So might as well you pay for that pronto, rapidito, let's go once you have the money."
Jules Vasquez
"They're saying it was just a mistake, you name slipped through the system and when they realized it, they withdrew your gun licensed."
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"It took nearly 3 months to realize that, right. The whole point is who in Belize doesn't know who is Marybeth and Chester, of all persons doesn't know my name? And I am apparently a figure of the streets. I am into the hustling business. So how you would not know who is Marybeth Wade? You are trying to play lost? You say you are a lawyer and you are so intelligent, so how you would not know who is Marybeth Wade?"
"If you had known it was a mistake, you would have taken my gun right away and cease that. You wouldn't have given me the opportunity to sell my weapon, since it was a mistake."
"I was at Dickey Bradley office and he call him and told him, Chester, but this is your signature and this is not forged, I know your signature. And he said oh it was a mistake. Please, the amount of people. I know about 5 that I helped, so how mine was a mistake and their ones are not mistakes?"
Jules Vasquez
"And those 5 people, they stayed with their gun licenses?"
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"They still have it up to now."
Jules Vasquez
"Wow! and all of them paid for it, they bought it for $7,500."
Marybeth Wade, Former Gun License Holder
"Bought, bought..."
Surely, Marybeth Wade has it in for the Commissioner and he spoke to Jules Vasquez via telephone today. He said that when he signed the approval for Marybeth Wade, he did not know who she was.
He says he later got a tip from someone in Crooked Tree that their local "Dur" Marybeth Wade a licensed gun - when she should not.
Commissioner Williams also sent us a Special Branch report on Wade dated July 8th with detailed various drug dealings that police suspected her involvement in.
He sent her the letter of revocation on July 20th - one month after he gun license was granted - she told us it was 3 months as you saw in the story.
The letter of revocation did permit her to sell the weapon - which the Commissioner says is standard - she claims that as proof of his knowledge that she got the bad end of a corrupt deal.
