Letter of Support from the Princeton RCMP
COURT NEWS - February 14, 2008
DIAL FOR DOPE OPERATOR GOES TO JAIL
Patrick M. Yaple appeared for sentencing in Provincial Court in Princeton on February 14, after entering guilty pleas to the following charges: possession of illegal substance for the purpose of trafficking, knowingly possessing a prohibited weapon without a licence, possession of a firearm while prohibited, and possession of counterfeit money.
A pre-sentence report had been prepared for the court.
Information presented to the court by Crown Counsel described an interesting dial-a-dope operation. On December 1, 2004, local RCMP received a tip that a Princeton man could be contacted at a certain phone number and he would deliver cocaine to the caller at an arranged location. Sgt. K. Lozinski followed up the tip by making a call to that number, and the deal was made. Delivery was to take place in the parking lot of a local grocery store where Yaple was working at the time.
The tipster had identified the vehicle the drug peddler was driving, and said the drug peddler lived at a location along Highway 3. Police stopped the vehicle on its way into Princeton, and apprehended Yaple. He was very cooperative, even showing police where to find the cocaine when they could not locate it.
In a subsequent search of Yaple's residence, police found a loaded handgun for which Yaple had no licence, and in fact was under a 10-year weapons prohibition. There were two bogus bills found, which Yaple said he had received as payment for a prior drug deal.
Yaple admitted to being the middleman for an "unknown" drug supplier. He said he had gone into the business to make extra money to pay child support, as Family Maintenance had taken all of his money from his bank account and left him broke.
Crown Counsel asked for jail time, but Yaple's defense lawyer asked for a conditional sentence, giving as reasons Yaple's cooperation with police, and the very small amount of cocaine found.
Judge Smith said an aggravating factor was the possession of a handgun when Yaple was prohibited, and the pre-sentence report indicated Yaple tried to justify his crime.
"He doesn't quite get it," Judge Smith noted.
Although it was Yaple's first drug offense, and he was cooperative, Judge Smith did not think a conditional sentence would deter Yaple or others like him.
Yaple, age 51, was ordered to serve nine months in jail for possession of a firearm while prohibited, along with the following concurrent sentences: six months for possession of an illegal weapon, five months for trafficking, and two months for possession of counterfeit money.
Yaple's firearms are forfeited, and he is under a lifetime firearms prohibition, disallowing him from possessing any guns, crossbows or explosives. A DNA sample was ordered.
MAN PLEADS, JUDGE REJECTS
Lucas J. Holman wanted to plead guilty, but Judge Smith would not accept his guilty plea. Holman appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton on February 14 to plead guilty to a charge of possession of stolen property, breach of probation and charges of failing to appear in court when summoned. The charges had been waived from Calgary.
Holman told Judge Smith the co-accused in the stolen property charge had told police Holman had nothing to do with the crime. As to the charges of failing to appear in court, Holman said he had not known he was supposed to attend.
Judge Smith said he could not accept guilty pleas just so Holman could dispose of the charges. An innocent man is not allowed to be convicted of a crime for the sake of convenience. Judge Smith ordered the case file returned to Calgary where Holman will have to deal with it in April.
JUDGE ORDERS HIGH FINE
On July 30, 2005, John Sullivan was not driving well and nearly hit a police vehicle. Sullivan stopped, then fled the scene.
On February 14, Sullivan appeared in Provincial Court in Princeton to enter a guilty plea to an impaired driving charge. Although he had no prior record for impaired, because of the circumstances of the case, Judge Smith ordered Sullivan to pay a $1,000 fine. He is prohibited from driving for one year.
MAN PLEADS GUILTY
On February 14, in Provincial Court in Princeton, Shaun A. Erskine entered a guilty plea to an impaired driving charge. Police had apprehended Erskine after being alerted by a report of a possible impaired driver.
Erskine had no prior convictions for impaired driving, so was fined $600 and his driving privileges are prohibited for one year, the minimum sentence.
CAMP COOK PLEADS GUILTY
In Provincial Court in Princeton on February 14th Kevin Reinhardt, formerly of Princeton and now a camp cook, admitted his guilt to a charge of common assault and a charge or breach of recognizance.
As Reinhardt is working in an isolated location, his lawyer asked that a pre-sentence report be prepared and sentencing take place on May 8, 2008.
ATV OFFENCE NETS FINE
Taking somebody else's ATV for a spin brought Jason Pudsey to court in Princeton on February 14. He entered a guilty plea to possession of a Polaris quad reported stolen on July 29, 2007. He had taken the ATV to make a visit to his girlfriend.
Pudsey had no prior criminal record, so Judge Smith ordered a $200 fine.
Province of British Columbia Criminal Court Lists
