Kamloops man gets 18 months in jail for firearms, property offences | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kamloops man gets 18 months in jail for firearms, property offences

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KAMLOOPS - A Kamloops man, who had originally been charged with dozens of offences before it was found his Charter rights were breached during a search of his home, will spend 18 months behind bars for a handful of offences.

Jason Robertson, 40, was arrested back in May 2014 in connection to an RCMP drug trafficking investigation. Robertson and his wife Sarah owned a home in Sahali, which was searched by police in connection to the investigation.

Officers found several firearms, some of which were improperly stored, along with brass knuckles, a Taser, electronics and some drug packaging material.

After police searched the home, Robertson was facing upwards of 30 charges, and his wife Sarah was also charged with multiple offences. However, lawyers for the Robertsons successfully argued last year the police failed to properly "knock and announce" upon entering the residence, and over-seized items in the search.

Supreme Court Justice Jeanne Watchuk ruled at the time both Robertsons had their Charter rights breached. Sarah's charges were dismissed at the commencement of her trial, while Robertson's charges dwindled down to 10. Watchuk found him guilty of seven charges at the end of his trial.

Today, Feb. 19, Watchuk sentenced Robertson to 18 months in prison. One of Robertson's convictions was for possessing a weapon obtained through an offence. The mandatory minimum sentence for that crime is 12 months, and although his lawyers argued the mandatory minimum shouldn't apply to Robertson in this case, Watchuk gave him an 18-month sentence.

"Mr. Robertson had a (Possession and Acquisition Licence). He has a high degree of moral culpability," Watchuk said.

Robertson was sentenced concurrently on his other charges, including careless storage of a firearm and possession of prohibited weapons, meaning he will serve a total sentence of a year-and-a-half.

Watchuk also ordered a 10-year firearm prohibition and the forfeiture of all of the items listed in the charges against Robertson. His firearms licence will not be forfeited.


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