Six month sentence for housebreaking, assault

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on August 18, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

Breaking into a home and assaulting the owner has earned a Lethbridge man a six-month stint behind bars.

John Elvis Jones was sentenced Wednesday in Lethbridge provincial court after he pleaded guilty to charges of housebreaking and commit assault, mischief causing damage, and theft under $5,000.

On Nov. 25 of last year Jones, 29, broke into a Lethbridge home and confronted the homeowner. The homeowner recognized Jones and demanded to know why he was in his home. During the confrontation Jones sprayed the homeowner with bear spray.

Jones was also charged with shoplifting after he was seen the previous month leaving Walmart without paying for a robotic vacuum, a hoodie and a pair of pants worth a total of $404. He walked out of the store and disappeared, but was subsequently arrested on unrelated matters. The stolen items were not recovered.

The mischief charge stems from an incident on March 6 of this year, when Jones and another man got into an argument outside of a residence. During the argument Jones picked up a rock and through it at a bay window, causing $300 damage.

In addition to his jail term, for which he was given full credit for time he has already spent in remand custody, effectively completing his sentence, Jones will be on probation for a year. During that time he is prohibited from going near the complainants or residences, workplaces or places of worship.

Jones is also prohibited from possessing weapons for 10 years, and he must submit a sample of his DNA for the National DNA Databank.

Lethbridge lawyer Claudia Connolly told court Jones plans to move to Calgary where he has family and employment opportunities.

“He’s probably better off to relocate,” Connolly said. “He seems to be associating with individuals in Lethbridge that aren’t doing him any good.”

Follow @DShurtzHerald on Twitter