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One among a number of suspects arrested throughout a Calgary police investigation into organized crime pleaded responsible Monday to possessing a loaded, computerized handgun.
However regardless of being handed the equal of a 2 1/2-year jail time period, John Ochelo might be residence for the vacation season.
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Justice Richard Neufeld accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence legal professionals handy the Calgary man a one-day jail time period in mild of the very fact he has already served the equal of 30 months behind bars.
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Studying from an announcement of agreed details signed by Ochelo and his lawyer, Jim Lutz, prosecutor Brian Holtby stated the offender was arrested April 17, 2022, after pulling his Jeep Wrangler right into a northwest gasoline station.
Each Ochelo and his passenger, Shaylon Smuts, had exited the automobile and police arrested them for unrelated issues earlier than conducting a search of the Jeep, Holtby advised Neufeld.
“There have been a number of gadgets of curiosity in plain view within the Jeep Wrangler,” the prosecutor stated.
“One of many gadgets was an operational Glock, mannequin 23, computerized handgun,” Holtby stated, of the weapon.
“{A magazine} was inserted within the handgun that contained 10 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. The handgun was stuffed between the entrance driver’s seat and the centre console.
“Such a handgun is assessed a prohibited firearm in Canada.”
Holtby stated Ochelo was additionally topic to a firearms possession prohibition on the time referring to a 2018 drug trafficking conviction.
Neufeld agreed with Lutz and Holtby that an extra 12-month sentence on that cost, to be served locally, can be an applicable punishment.
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Each Holtby and Lutz stated the traditional sentencing vary for possessing a prohibited firearm is between two and three years.
“The sentence … my pal and I are suggesting definitely falls inside the vary,” Lutz stated.
Holtby stated Ochelo’s document was a comparatively minor one, with some breaches of launch situations and a failure to seem in court docket on high of his drug trafficking conviction.
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That restricted document was assisted by the Alberta Court docket of Enchantment, which in 2021 overturned a kidnapping conviction in opposition to Ochelo and two different males, ordering them again to trial.
When the case returned to Court docket of King’s Bench this previous Might, the Crown stayed the costs in opposition to the trio when civilian witnesses failed to point out up.
Ochelo confronted a number of fees together with kidnapping with a firearm and different weapons-related offences.
Smuts, who was additionally charged throughout the April 17, 2022, arrest had his allegations stayed after he was deported to South Africa, Holtby advised court docket.
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