Jan.26, 2010, 10:13 AM

The American William Jewett, who landed in Belize in late December on his boat “Latitude Adjustment,” in all likelihood will leave these shores in handcuffs on an airplane—escorted by a US Marshall, because this afternoon, Jewett, against the best advise of his attorneys whom he fired yesterday, returned to the Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to a charge of money laundering. The court, after adjourning the case yesterday until Wednesday, January 27, decided to accept Jewett’s guilty plea and sentenced him late this afternoon.

For his guilty plea, Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie fined him $50,000 for the single count of money laundering. Because of his immigration status, Chief Magistrate McKenzie told him, he would be ordered to pay forthwith, or in default, would have to spend five years in jail.     

Under the provision of the Money Laundering and Terrorism Prevention Act, under which Jewett was charged, he could have been fined any sum between $50,000 and $250,000, in addition to a possible custodial sentence. But he was fined the minimum, as he had no previous conviction, Chief Magistrate McKenzie told him.

When he was first arrested by Belize Police, after they conducted a search and according to them found a large quantity of money on his boat that was moored at the Old Belize Marina, Jewett had hired two attorneys, Dickie Bradley and Senior Counsel Ellis Arnold.

The stash of money that police found included US $120,000, 4,208 Euros, $5,020 in Mexican Pesos, 225 Quetzales, and $23.37 in Belize currency.

He was initially arrested on Friday, January 15, 2010, but he was not formally arraigned until Wednesday, January 20, when he was charged with one count of money laundering and one count of failure to make customs declaration, and evading customs duties.

The situation for Jewett, who is also wanted in the US on alleged fraud and ammunition charges, escalated. According to him, in a note that he slipped to this reporter, he was visited by a US Embassy official and told that he should fire his attorneys and plead guilty to the charge of money laundering. If he failed to comply, his wife would be arrested and charged by Belize’s Financial Intelligence Unit, a representative of which—according to Jewett via his note—was waiting outside, while he was speaking to the US Embassy official.

His wife, who had left Belize and was heading back to the US via Cancun, Mexico, was seized and brought back to Belize, Jewett explained in his note.

Yesterday when he appeared at the mercy of the FIU prosecutor Mikhail Argüelles, who was incidentally both prosecuting and advising him, Chief Magistrate McKenzie adjourned the hearing until Wednesday, January 27, when, in her words, Jewett could get legal advice independent of the FIU. So then, it was somewhat surprising that he returned to court late this afternoon.

After he was sentenced for the money laundering charge, the customs offences were withdrawn. A charge, which the Immigration and Nationality Department was bringing against him for illegal entry into Belize, was also withdrawn.

Once those matters were settled, there was an in-camera hearing to consider the question of forfeiture of his assets, including monies that he had on hand, and his boat.

The FIU’s Argüelles told the court that under section 38 sub-section 7 of the Money Laundering and Terrorism Prevention Act, once the court is convinced that properties are obtained as a result of crime, it has the power to make a forfeiture order in relation to such properties.

As the hearing took place late evening, Jewett was unable to pay his fine and was taken to the Hattieville Prison.