31 charges stayed against Taber man arrested in stolen-gun ring

By Medicine Hat News on November 20, 2020.

LETHBRIDGE

A Taber man is no longer facing criminal charges related to a police raid to bust up a rural break-in ring that turned up 63 stolen guns and $200,000 in stolen property.

Jason Jeffery Pizzati, 47, faced 31 charges of possessing the proceeds of crime, firearms trafficking and trafficking stolen goods, but Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court the charges were stayed by the Crown.

A stay of proceeding means no further action will be taken, but the charges can be returned within a year if warranted by new evidence.

Pizzati, along with several other individuals, was arrested and charged in September by ALERT’s property crime unit, Taber RCMP and the Taber and Medicine Hat police services.

Authorities spread 63 recovered guns over two folding tables during a press conference and alleged the Taber-based ring operated throughout southern Alberta and trafficked in stolen guns and cars.

The seizure also included seven vehicles and construction equipment.

Five suspects were charged with a total of 76 charges related to break-ins from at least nine smaller communities, including Taber, Vauxhall, Bow Island, Seven Persons, Stirling, Vulcan, Coaldale and Barnwell.

Also charged were Dustyn McCracken, 20, of Taber, Greg Kosowan, 72, Cornelius Wolf, 38, and Heinrich Wolf, 35.