Ryan Herbert gets six months for 0.6 grams of crack cocaine; his 13th conviction

By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize City mechanic with a lengthy record of drug-related convictions was sentenced to six months in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to possession of 0.6 grams of crack cocaine.

Ryan Harold Herbert, 27, of Peter Secco Street, appeared unrepresented before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, where he changed his previous not guilty plea to guilty.

Herbert reportedly expected to receive a fine, but the court took into consideration his extensive criminal record. With Thursday’s conviction, Herbert now has 13 previous convictions, including nine for drug-related offences and four for traffic offences. It was also his third drug conviction for 2026.

The Chief Magistrate consequently imposed a custodial sentence of six months rather than a fine.

The charge stems from an incident on May 21, 2026, when members of the Eastern Division Operations Team were conducting patrols on Flamboyant Street in Belize City.

Police reportedly observed a group of men gathered in a yard during a period when portions of Belize City were under a state of emergency. Officers stopped to conduct searches for illegal drugs, firearms and ammunition.

During a search of Herbert, police allegedly found small, cream-coloured substances in his right front pocket that were suspected to be crack cocaine. The substance was later weighed at 0.6 grams.

Herbert was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled drug. He initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea when he returned to court on Thursday.

Herbert has since been taken to the Belize Central Prison to begin serving his six-month sentence.

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