Firearms offence results in two month sentence

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

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

Clayton Wayne Jordan was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and when police came knocking with a search warrant, he was arrested and charged with numerous criminal offences.

On Feb. 26 of this year Jordan, 39, was staying at another man’s residence, who had only taken possession of the residence a short time earlier after a family member died.

Police, responding to an incident relating to firearms that did not involve Jordan, searched the home and found, among other items of concern, a sawed-off shotgun, which is a prohibited weapon.

“It was in the bedroom which was being occupied by Clayton Jordan,” Crown Prosecutor Clayton Giles said Monday in Lethbridge provincial court, where Jordan pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of identity documents and drug possession.

Giles said there was “a bunch of stuff” in the bedroom to which Jordan likely didn’t have any connection, but on his bed police found a can containing his own identity documents, as well as documents belonging to many other people. Also found inside the can were the drugs fentanyl and MDMA, also known as ecstasy.

Sitting on a freezer, also in the bedroom, was the sawed-off shotgun.

“He had a lifetime firearms prohibition, and he darn well knew he shouldn’t have or be around or be in knowledge and control of that shotgun,” Giles said.

He added, however, there’s no evidence that Jordan ever showed he had control of the gun by holding it, or waiving it around or pointing it at anyone, but it was in his bedroom and worth a 60-day jail sentence.

“Had he waived it around, clearly I’d be asking for a year or 18 months.”

Calgary lawyer Shaun Leochko told court his client, who is the father of three young children, has suffered with addictions but has also had long periods of sobriety and stability.

In addition to a sentence of 60 days for possession of the shotgun, Jordan was fined $500 each for drug possession and possession of identity documents. Rather than pay the fines, however, Jordan will serve the default time in custody, concurrent with the 60 days.

Jordan was also given credit for the equivalent of 50 days he has spent in remand custody, leaving him 10 days to serve on his sentence.

Although several additional weapons charges and a charge of aggravated assault were withdrawn, Jordan returns to court later in the month on charges which include assault with a weapon, unlawful use of an imitation firearm, failure to comply with release conditions, dangerous driving and possession of stolen property under $5,000.

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