Three people, including a woman police officer and a Mexican national, have been cleared of serious charges stemming from a 2022 police raid in Yo Creek, Orange Walk. The bust had led to the discovery of illegal firearms, crack cocaine, ammunition, and a bulletproof vest. Initially, four people were charged: Alden Lara, who later pleaded guilty and is now serving time, and three others, police officer Stephanie Cima, Joshua Hall, and Mexican national Misael Varella. While Cima and Varella were granted bail after months in jail, Hall absconded. Despite that, his trial continued in his absence. Today, nearly two years after the trial began, Chief Magistrate Deborah Rogers ruled there was no case to answer. She found that the prosecution failed to link the accused to the illegal items beyond a reasonable doubt. The court emphasized that simply being present at the scene wasn’t enough to prove guilt, especially since Lara had already taken full responsibility for the items. Varella, who had been behind bars since June 2022 due to immigration concerns, was ordered released and escorted to the border. The Chief Magistrate expressed concern that he is not detained again, noting he had already served time for a prior immigration offense. The case, once described as complex, ultimately fizzled out due to weak evidence and a lack of credible witnesses. All three accused, Cima, Hall, and Varella, are now free.
