BVI News

Venezuelan man fined $6,500 after pleading guilty to illegal entry


Venezuelan national Ricardo Martinez who was among a group involved in a  high speed chase with police last month, was fined $6,500 for illegal entry after pleading guilty in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, September 10.Magistrate Christilyn Benjamin imposed the fine and ordered his immediate return to his home country after the financial penalty is paid, taking into account that Martinez cooperated fully by providing all relevant information about the incident. She also took into account that this was his only known offence both in the BVI and abroad.

The judge noted the porous nature of the BVI’s borders and highlighted that Martinez’s case could be indicative of similar attempts by others. This consideration factored into the penalty, aiming to serve as a deterrent against future offenses.

Martinez was arrested and charged after being involved in a pursuit by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) on Sunday, August 25. He was injured during the chase and captured the following morning, while the other individuals involved managed to evade capture.

According to a press release, RVIPF officers were pursuing two vehicles suspected of suspicious activities in Hawk’s Nest. During the chase, one vehicle went over an embankment, leaving one male abandoned and injured—later identified as Martinez. An AK-47 assault rifle was recovered at the scene. Martinez was transported to Dr. D Orlando Hospital for treatment.

Martinez claimed that the recovered weapon did not belong to him but to the other escapees, whose identities he did not know due to their concealed faces. He also stated he was a passenger, not the driver, during the pursuit. These factors were considered in the determination of his fine.

Martinez was represented by attorney E. Leroy Jones.

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20 Comments

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  1. Da mek sense? says:

    Concealed faces, passenger, did not know them? How dumb ayo think we are?

    Like 20
    Dislike 1
    • Deh Watcha says:

      LOLOL

      Yuh hear deh man was a passenger in a vehicle with masked men.

      Wellll sah.

    • Doll says:

      He dreamt this sh*t up or what? Mehn, these people taking us for dummies but we know there was no way he will snitch on the others. They sending him home only to smuggle his criminal behind back here or to some other Caribbean country to do the same thing. They should have waterboard his a&s until he talked. Don’t know why RVIPF get a vigilante squad that deals with the criminal elwment the best way seem fit. I know a lot of us would give them the treatment those folks in Russia, China and Vietnam hands out. I bet that would be the last time they be a criminal. We are so sick qnd tired of these old shrivel up fools running drugs in our back yards. Its time they find some hard work to do or some place else to do their evil.

  2. I do hope says:

    He is escorted to the airport and law enforcement make sure they don’t leave the airport until the plane has taken off and is
    In the air. The BVI is very lax when it comes to keeping track of illegals entering the Territory.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  3. .... says:

    SOOOOOO they aint get it out of him the job they were hired to do that required to have an AK 47…this is crazy just take 6 Racks and go home

  4. So says:

    BEAT THE HELL OUT OF HIM UNTILL HE GIVE UP THE OTHERS. IF A PERSON FROM TORTOLA WAS CAUGHT ON THEIR SOIL THEY WOULD HAVE BEATEN THE PERSON TO A PULP FOR A CONFESSION. REMEMBER THE SPRINGET DUDE AND THE OLDER MAN THAT WAS CAUGHT ON THE BOAT DOWN IN VENEZUELA THAT WAS NEVER SEEN OR HEARD FROM?

    Like 8
    Dislike 3
  5. CAME TO EAT OUR PETS says:

    NOW WHERE WILL HE GET THAT MONEY FROM?

    • @come to eat our pets says:

      Speaking about pets, when your pets is missing check out the Haitian Community. Heard those Haitians is killing and eating dog meat.

  6. Wait A minute says:

    Shouldn’t he have been placed in a hotel given free meals and a return ticket to his homeland like the others what is the difference here are you treated according to where you are from. Me no undertan.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  7. OK? says:

    So they believed whatever he said, and gave him a slap on the wrist?

    Like 5
    Dislike 1
  8. So...? says:

    Will he be housed in balsam ghut? As rumor had it…

  9. Yo k* says:

    So WB had A* and t* killed last month for the bust

  10. And who the AK fah..? says:

    So he ain’t geh charged for the weapon?!? This place is Comesy Central with these “Mall Cops” in this place sah….lord send help!!

  11. Local says:

    Its funny when locals or exparts living here are found in the company of someone with a gun they are also changed. Did they run finger prints to see if he is telling the truth. But we here are put through the ringer let it fair across the board.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  12. SKB says:

    Leroy jammin bwoy

  13. Hmmm says:

    He came here to kill is good thing you’ll get him!! They will send more to did the job tho!

  14. Wow says:

    So Martinez is in a strange country driving about with people he does not know and with illegal weapons in it. My goodness??? What’s important is the magistrate’s stance on the matter.

  15. Hmmm says:

    What he got is certainly no deterant.

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