(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
May 09, 2014 - 2:27 PM
KAMLOOPS – Two Kelowna men were convicted while a third was acquitted on charges related to a botched robbery involving a duffel bag full of weapons.
Rick Herd, born 1984, and Joel McLean, born 1987, were convicted of possessing a restricted firearm and ammunition without a proper license. The two were involved in an attempted invasion of a house on Dallas Drive, May 23, 2013.
In her decision yesterday, Kamloops Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Duncan said it was probable the robbers had information about the victim who in the past was involved in the illicit marijuana trade.
While home-owner Robert McMillan sat in his truck, a man with a clipboard approached and said he was from UNICEF. McMillan noticed the clipboard contained blank paper and no identifiers to the organization. Before he figured it out, a gun was held to his head and a Honda Civic blocked his truck in.
The man with the gun demanded phones from McMillan and the friend traveling with him. The two exited the truck and told to get down in front of the house. Herd and McLean and a third tried to get the keys to McMillan’s house before the owner made a break for it, flagged down a passing driver who called RCMP.
RCMP arrested McLean and Herd without incident. The two men had the phones belonging to the owner and his friend and police later uncovered a duffel bag belonging to the men which contained ammunition, a sawed off shotgun, a handgun and brass knuckles.
A third man thought to be involved in the case was Jordan McIntosh, born 1984. McIntosh was acquitted due to a lack of evidence supporting his involvement which included the victim’s inability to identify him properly in court and no fingerprints or DNA connecting him to the car.
“I think you probably did it,” Duncan said, but said she had enough doubt to acquit McIntosh.
Herd was released on bail while McLean remains in custody.
Sentencing dates are pending.
To contact a reporter for this story, email gbrothen@infotelnews.ca, or call 250-319-7494. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014