HARBOUR GRACE, NL — Shannon Wilson of Carbonear was sentenced to 16 months in prison on weapon and drug-related charges Thursday.
The 34-year-old found himself in trouble with police on multiple occasions between the fall of 2016 and the following spring. That included an arrest for possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking in October of 2016. Prior to his arrest, RCMP caught him speeding on the Trinity South Highway. Wilson failed to pull over and didn’t stop until he became stuck behind another vehicle. In addition to the drugs, police also seized a bayonet.
He was subsequently picked up three times for breaching court orders. During a traffic stop in Victoria, police found a knife in his possession, and he fled the scene of an accident a few months later.
Then in the spring of 2017, police received a tip that Wilson was trying to sell rifles at a time when he wasn’t allowed to dwell in a house where firearms were present. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant at a home in Carbonear and found a sawed-off semi-automatic rifle along with ammunition. The gun was also loaded.
For unlawfully possessing a prohibited firearm with ammunition, Wilson was sentenced to a year in prison. A further four months was tacked on as a global sentence for the other incidents. He’s been in custody since May of last year. Taking into account the time he’s served, Wilson has approximately five months remaining on his sentence.
According to Crown prosecutor Richard Deveau, Wilson had a criminal record linked to time he spent in Ontario. Prior to Thursday, he was last convicted in 2008 — a case that also involved trafficking drugs. Deveau noted Wilson was always co-operative with police and had managed to save the court considerable time by entering the guilty pleas.
Thursday’s sentence was a joint submission from Deveau and defence lawyer Kevin Baker. Baker said his client was apologetic for his actions and anxious to reunite with his young family. He said Wilson accepted responsibility for his actions and would willingly take advantage of any services recommended by a probation officer.
Upon his release, Wilson will be banned from possessing a weapon for life. For the two-year probation period, he must abstain from consuming alcohol and drugs. Wilson must also provide a DNA sample to be stored in a databank.
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