In a stunning case that has rocked Belize’s law enforcement community, a serving police officer who built deep trust with a local family has admitted to a series of unlawful sexual assaults against a child he was close to.
Twenty-nine-year-old Constable Dexter Diego entered guilty pleas to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse before Justice Nigel Pilgrim at the High Court, bringing an abrupt end to proceedings that had been scheduled to proceed to a full trial. The surprise guilty plea came just one hour into the planned court process, cutting short what would likely have been a weeks-long high-profile hearing.
Court documents and prosecution statements outline a disturbing pattern of abuse that unfolded over several months, all hidden from the victim’s mother. As a family friend and active member of the Belize Police Department, Diego exploited his position of trust to initiate a secret relationship with the young victim, who was just 13 years old when the first offense took place. By the time the final three incidents occurred, the victim had turned 14.
The first recorded assault occurred between December 31, 2022, and February 1, 2023, at the home of one of the victim’s relatives, where the teen had been working as a babysitter. Three additional attacks followed between February and March 2023, including one incident on March 26 where Diego reportedly showed up to the victim’s home while he was on duty, wearing his official police uniform.
Following the guilty plea, Justice Pilgrim ordered a pause in proceedings to allow for comprehensive pre-sentencing assessments. Sentencing has been adjourned until September 8, 2026, with the judge requesting three key documents to inform his sentencing decision: a full prison report detailing Diego’s custodial assessment, a Social Inquiry Report to evaluate the offender’s background and risk, and a Victim Impact Statement to document the harm inflicted on the teen and her family.
Diego remains in remand custody as he waits for his sentencing hearing, with the case raising urgent questions about oversight of law enforcement personnel and the protection of minors in vulnerable community relationships. This report is adapted from a televised evening newscast, with all translated Kriol language content standardized for print and digital publication.