BARRHEAD/WESTLOCK — One of four suspects arrested in connection with a pair of break-and-enters in Westlock County back in April received an eight-month conditional sentence (CSO) last week.
In the Westlock Court of Justice on Nov. 1, Lane Michael Jarocki pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property over $5,000 and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Six other counts of possession of stolen property valued at under $5,000, as well as single charges of obstructing a peace officer and contravening regulations around the storage of firearms, were withdrawn.
Justice Jeffrey Morrison sentenced Jarocki in line with the joint submission to an eight-month CSO, which will include 24-hour house arrest for the first four months (with exceptions such as medical emergencies) and a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for the last four months.
During the CSO, Jarocki will have to abide by a number of conditions, such as keeping the peace; abstaining from alcohol, drugs and intoxicating substances; attending any assessment, treatment or counselling as directed by probation; and having no contact with several co-accused in his case.
Jarocki was also sentenced to a five-year weapons prohibition preventing him from possessing any firearms, bows or similar devices.
After sentencing, Justice Morrison told Jarocki that he hoped the 26-year-old would turn his life around, as he was “a little old” to be starting a criminal record.
“Seriously, this has got to be a wake-up call for you, man. You’ve got to get back on the right path,” he said.
Background
The Town & Country This Week confirmed with the Barrhead RCMP that Jarocki was one of four suspects arrested as part of an RCMP operation this spring.
As originally reported in the April 18 edition, police had received a report of a suspicious PT Cruiser in the Neerlandia area on April 5, 2023.
The RCMP officer who attended the scene found a set of footprints in the snow near the vehicle leading to a rural property.
Back-up was called from the Barrhead and Westlock detachments, as well as the Westlock Traffic Services Unit. Together, they arrested two individuals carrying out a break-and-enter.
Tips from the public then led the RCMP to a residence where the suspicious vehicle had been spotted. Police then obtained a search warrant for the residence and vehicle.
In Westlock Court on Nov. 1, Crown prosecutor Andrew Dirgo said a large number of stolen items were found at the residence and inside the vehicle.
Jarocki was charged with possession of stolen property because he lived at the residence in question, Dirgo indicated.
Meanwhile, the unauthorized possession of a firearm charge was unrelated to the facts above.
Dirgo said that on March 24, 2023, Barrhead RCMP received a report of a suspicious vehicle at an unspecified location.
RCMP attended the scene and located a black Dodge Ram with Jarocki in the driver’s seat and another individual in the passenger seat. Dirgo said that because Jarocki couldn’t produce a driver’s licence, the police were going to have the vehicle towed.
However, a search of the vehicle yielded a loaded rifle wrapped in a blanket near the front of the passenger seat, which was within Jarocki’s reach.
Defence lawyer Richard Forbes noted that since these offences, Jarocki had obtained full-time employment and was supporting himself and his girlfriend.
“This was a period of his life where he was in with a very bad crowd. He’s separated himself from these people,” Forbes added.
This served as the basis for the CSO, as well as the fact that he did not have a criminal record prior to these events.
