D.P.P.’s successful human trafficking conviction
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is cracking down on accused human traffickers and today sealed the third conviction for this year. Thirty-five year old Estella Pinelo was first arrested in May 2010 when a fourteen year old girl was removed from her resort in San Ignacio and handed over to Human Development Officers. The minor was kept against her will for five months and was forced into prostitution while she worked at the resort without pay. In court today, Pinelo was found guilty of Trafficking in Persons and was fined ten thousand dollars. She escaped prison time because she has a four month old baby. D.P.P. Cheryl-Lynn Vidal prosecuted the case while the defendant was represented by Attorney Bryan Neal.
Good job, prosecutor Vidal.
The only problem I can see is showing this animal mercy because she has an infant. She destroyed one child;’s life for money, and I wouldn’t let her near another child, even her own.
The trafficker should be sent to prison for a long while, and the baby should be taken from her and given for adoption to a decent pair of parents.
And if Pinelo is not a born Belizean, kick her out of the Jewel when she gets out of prison.
So a 14 year old was basically raped multiple times and our laws allow for a $10,000 fine only? The law MUST be amended to include mandatory jail time. This lady has already proven that she is an unfit mother. Her child should be taken away by the human development department. Instead she USED her own child as a get out of jail card. Will anyone even monitor this lady to see if won’t do the same to her child in the future? I think not.
There is somthing wrong with justice when it cannot be meted out because the guilty has a four month old baby? You have got to be kidding me! I know the baby has no contribution for the crime but what about thinking about the victim? If the guilty has no family to take care of her baby there are people who are willing to adopt. If the guilty is unable to pay the fine then what? And is there anyone who thinks about the fact that the victim is serving a lifelong sentence? That victim will never be the same again, while the perp pays a fine and back to business.
Mick is right all the way. Our country is in such of a mess right now is partially due to our lenient justice system. For example, if a person committed 2 offenses – 10 yrs for the 1st crime and 10 yrs for the 2nd crime= 20 yrs. But if sentenced concurrently= 10 yrs only. Why not change the law and double up on the serving time instead. In this case 20yrs+20yrs concurrently=20 yrs. But the difference is clear.
Lord
we need prison time to protect our kids from organized abuse
one love people
MAKE SHE PROSTITUTE HER PICNI TOOO, SHE IF SHE WOULD LIKE THAT