BONNYVILLE - Hiding a shotgun under the bed didn't work out for Bonnyville resident Andrew Lawrence Stark.
The 38-year-old was sentenced to pay $1,500 in fines after appearing in the Bonnyville Provincial Courthouse to plead guilty to careless use/storage of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Stark appeared in court on Tuesday, Jan. 28 to speak to the charges that stem from a Dec. 5, 2019 search warrant where local RCMP located a 12-gauge shotgun hidden under Stark's bed and seven long-barrel rifles.
Police were searching the Bonnyville residence in relation to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. At the time of Stark's arrest, two other males were also at the house, however, Crown prosecutor Neil Thomson didn't confirm whether they too were arrested as a result of the search.
Although Stark had at one point possessed the proper licensing to own the firearms,Thomson stated, the paperwork had expired prior to his arrest in December 2019.
In addition to paying $1,500 in fines, Stark was sentenced to a five-year weapons prohibition, and all items seized during the search were forfeited to the Crown for distruction.
Acting duty counsel Dylan Straus explained Stark's desire to exempt a bow and arrow he uses with his 13-year-old son as a hobby from the weapons prohibition.
The Crown described the prohibition as "all or nothing," and explained that while the tools Stark will be using for his work as a carpenter don't fall under the ban, a bow and arrow do.
Honourable Judge Cheryl Arcand-Kootenay agreed with the joint submission.
