BOYLE – A Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement man who tried to sell a stolen trailer and was also caught with a 12-gauge shotgun while banned from possessing any weapons, received close to a 14-month jail sentence.
In Boyle Court of Justice May 9, Christopher Michael Holhauser, 38, pleaded guilty to unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of property obtained by crime. As part of a joint submission, the Crown withdrew five other charges, including an additional count of possession of a prohibited firearm, failure to comply with conditions and careless use/storage of a firearm, use of a forged document and fraud over $5,000.
Justice Andrea Hemmerling handed down the equivalent of 420 days in jail as part of the joint submission, and noted the man has more than 350 real days behind bars — with enhanced credit that equals 502, so his sentence was deemed served.
Justice Hemmerling also reimposed an existing order prohibiting Holhauser from possessing any firearms, ammunition or explosives.
Student assistant to the Crown Taylor Noble noted the firearm charges stemmed from the Boyle RCMP executing a March 19, 2021, search warrant at Holhauser's residence on the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement.
She said when police entered the home they discovered an improperly stored 12-gauge shotgun with five shells attached to the stock. The RCMP then sent the weapon to the forensic identification section for analysis and found Holhauser's fingerprints were on it.
Noble noted that at the time, Holhauser was under an order prohibiting him from ever possessing any firearm, ammunition or explosives.
“The accused is also on conditions of a release order that states that he must not possess ammunition,” Noble said.
The remaining charge arose from a rural resident's complaint that his cargo trailer, worth roughly $6,000, had been stolen.
Police later discovered that Holhauser had attempted to sell the trailer by arranging an in-person meeting and by providing an identification card and a bill of sale in the real owner's name. Holhauser also claimed he was selling the trailer on the owner’s behalf.
"(The resident) did not know Holhauser and no one had permission to sell the trailer on his behalf," Noble stated.
Defence lawyer David Keyes noted that his client is originally from Peguis First Nations in Manitoba and his grandmother was a residential school survivor. Keyes said that Holhauser has the support of his girlfriend, who will "help him have positive social interactions going forward." He added that upon his release plans to find meaningful employment outside the province as a labourer.
Justice Hemmerling also waived the victim-fine surcharge, saying she would not "saddle him with that on top of everything else."
