San Pedro businessman charged with 14 immigration offences after allegedly hiring 14 Honduran women without valid work permits at his bar. Nelson Raynaldo Gomez, 38, appeared in Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. with his attorney, David McKoy.
Gomez faced 14 counts of employing persons without work permits. Authorities claim that on March 15, 2025, he illegally hired the women at VIP Bar in San Pedro.
He pleaded not guilty. Since he was summoned to court, he was released but must return to the San Pedro Magistrate’s Court on May 14, 2025. The case was handled in Belize City due to no available magistrate in San Pedro.
The charges followed an immigration and police operation at VIP Bar. Officials found the 14 women working without work permits. On March 17, 2025, they appeared in San Pedro Magistrate’s Court on additional immigration violations.
Each woman pleaded guilty and received a $1,000 fine plus a $5 court fee. They had to pay immediately or serve six months in prison. Since they couldn’t pay, authorities ordered their deportation. They remain in Belize Central Prison awaiting removal to Honduras.
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