By Belize Live News Staff: A Belize City mother has been sent to prison after pleading guilty to possession of a crack pipe and crack cocaine.
34-year-old LeeAnn Samuels, self-employed of #5 Banak Street, appeared unrepresented before a Magistrate in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Monday. She was read two charges: possession of utensils used for smoking a controlled drug after police found her with a 5-centimeter crack pipe, and possession of an undetermined amount of crack cocaine.
Samuels wasted no time in entering a guilty plea, but her record revealed she has at least seven previous drug convictions. When given the chance to speak in her defense, she claimed the pipe was for marijuana and that her struggles were tied to her role as a mother. The Magistrate was unmoved, noting that her history showed a pattern of behavior and that a fine was inappropriate.
Taking into account her guilty plea but weighing her repeated convictions, the Magistrate sentenced Samuels to two 4-month prison terms, ordered to run concurrently, meaning she will serve a total of four months behind bars.
The Magistrate also recommended that Samuels seek rehabilitation, reminding her that while the court cannot force her into treatment, she must recognize her need for help.
This marks Samuels’ second recent drug-related prison sentence. In 2024, she was also jailed after losing custody of her children to the Human Services Department due to her ongoing substance abuse.
