Repeat Offender Fined for Crack Pipe Possession on Labour Day

A Belize City man, described as having a lengthy history with the courts, added another conviction to his record today. Thirty-seven-year-old Justin Steven Goff, an unemployed resident of Marigold Lane, pleaded guilty to possessing drug paraphernalia in Magistrate’s Court. Police arrested Goff yesterday, Labour Day, on Mahogany Street after finding him with a small, 3.5-centimeter silver metal pipe, identified as being adapted for smoking crack cocaine. Appearing unrepresented before Magistrate Ludlow Black in Court Number Three this morning, Goff admitted to the charge. Magistrate Black fined him two hundred dollars plus a five-dollar cost of court. In handing down the sentence, the Magistrate acknowledged Goff’s guilty plea saved judicial time. However, he also noted this was Goff’s second conviction for possessing such a pipe and highlighted his extensive overall rap sheet as aggravating factors. Despite the history, the Magistrate deemed a fine appropriate for this instance. Goff has until May 30 to pay the fine, or he will face a default sentence of two months’ imprisonment.