A San Pedro educator convicted of sexual assault against underage students earlier this year will continue serving his prison sentence after a Belize court rejected his request to pause his sentence during the appeal process.
Forty-seven-year-old Alex Jason Noralez, a resident of Barracuda Street in Boca del Rio, was handed an 18-month prison term in January following a guilty verdict on two out of three sexual offense charges brought against him. He was acquitted on the third count, and the judge ordered his two 18-month sentences to run concurrently, resulting in a total 18-month term of incarceration. Noralez has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the legal process, denying all allegations of wrongdoing.
To secure release on bail while his appeal moved forward, Noralez filed an application for a stay of execution with the court as part of his initial appeal proceedings. That first request was denied on February 27, 2026, leaving Noralez in custody at Belize Central Prison where he has remained since his conviction.
The appeal was scheduled for a hearing before Justice Candace Nanton on July 22, 2026, but the proceeding could not move forward as planned. Attorney Leeroy Banner appeared for Noralez, substituting for his original counsel Richard “Dickie” Bradley. Following the adjournment, the court set new deadlines for both legal teams to submit required court documents. Noralez’s legal team must file his formal grounds of appeal no later than August 14, 2026, and the respondent’s legal team has until August 28, 2026, to file their reply. The next hearing in the appeal has been rescheduled for September 25, 2026. Until that hearing, Noralez will remain in remand at Belize Central Prison.