Pair pleads to lesser charges in firearms case
By Peggy Revell on August 17, 2017.
prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell Two people arrested in February on drug and firearm charges have had the most serious of charges against them withdrawn by the Crown. The charges stem back to February, when Medicine Hat police executed a search warrant for a local residence and storage container, seizing two SKS semi-automatic rifles, one pump-action shot gun, one prohibited drum magazine, ammunition, stolen property, 57 grams of psyclobin (mushrooms), 5.8 grams of marijuana and $14,070 in cash. From this, Sean Sterling Engel faced 10 charges, including the indictable charge of extortion, breaking and entering to steal a firearmand possessing a prohibited device — but these were withdrawn by the Crown on July 12, and he pled out to the lesser charges he faced, including assault, threats, simple possession and having stolen property under $5,000. As part of a joint resolution between Crown and defence, Engel was given a nine-month conditional sentence order, with the first four-and-a-half months to be served under house arrest — unless out of town for work — and the remaining months to be served with a curfew. This will be followed by 12 months probation. On July 25, Engel’s co-accused Tameka Hazelaar pled guilty to one count of simple possession for 5.8 grams of marijuana, and possessing stolen property under $5,000 for having a TV belonging to the complainant. For this, she was given $550 in fines. Withdrawn were more serious charges including possessing proceeds of crime,possessing a weapon dangerous to the public, careless storage of a firearm, possessing a firearm obtained by an offence and possessing a prohibited device. The guns seized in the course of the investigation were forfeited to the Crown. 9
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