Family arrested for 120 bullets; Dad takes charge and $9,000 fine

Published by [email protected] at April 22, 2025

Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2025. 7:21 pm CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize City family of three — a husband, wife, and their 15-year-old child — was hauled before the Magistrate’s Court on Monday after police discovered over 150 live rounds of ammunition at their Jr. Street home on Holy Thursday.

The trio — 45-year-old construction worker Virginio Roches, his wife Melonie Murrillo, 32, a call center agent, and their 15-year-old minor — were jointly charged with one count of keeping prohibited ammunition and two counts of keeping unlicensed ammunition. Despite no firearm being found during the search, all three were initially charged.

The search was conducted on April 17, 2025, around 4:00 p.m., at the family’s home on Jr. Street, as part of a police patrol in the Jane Usher Boulevard area. Officers reported discovering 67 live rounds of 9mm ammunition, 82 Aguila brand .380 rounds, and 20 prohibited .40 S&B brand rounds in various containers, clothing, and even a knapsack found in a room believed to be used by the minor.

The case was heard before newly appointed Magistrate Ludlow Black, who is originally from Jamaica. In court, Roches quickly pleaded guilty to all charges while his wife and the teen pleaded not guilty. The charges against Murrillo and the child were subsequently withdrawn, allowing them to walk free.

Roches, however, was fined a total of $9,000 across the three charges. For the prohibited ammunition, he was fined $6,000, with $4,000 due immediately to avoid one year of imprisonment. For the kept unlicensed ammunition charges, he was fined $3,000 payable within a year, or face another year behind bars. He was also given a one-year suspended sentence, meaning any criminal activity within the next year could land him in prison.

In his defense, Roches claimed he found a black bag containing the ammunition while walking near Jane Usher Boulevard and brought it home, believing it might contain money. He said he kept it hidden and had no use for the contents.

Magistrate Black expressed skepticism about Roches’ story, emphasizing the danger of having such a large amount of ammunition in a household with children. He cited the gravity of the offenses and ongoing struggles by law enforcement to reduce illegal weapons on the streets.

Roches must now pay the remaining $2,000 of his fine by June 24, 2025, or face four months of imprisonment. All sentences are to run concurrently.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.