An American man found himself in hot water after he attempted to transport a number of firearms into Canada.
The Canada Border Services Agency announced that on Oct. 31 officers seized five handguns, an AR-15 assault rifle, and seven overcapacity magazines from a traveller.
Joel David Pennington Jr., was charged with two counts under the Customs Act. He was detained and appeared in court Nov. 6 in Regina, where he plead guilty to both counts and was sentenced to time served.
According to an article in the Regina Leader-Post, the Crown called for a six-month sentence but Judge Dennis Fenwick went with the defence's recommendation of time served. Pennington will also have to pay a $6,500 civil seizure penalty.
The article noted that Pennginton, a 49-year-old from Tennessee, was in the process of moving to Alaska with his wife. During the search at the border, Pennington declared some of his long guns but hid the fact he had several other weapons, magazines and ammunition.
In a press release, Brent Patten, Assistant Regional Director General for the CBSA, Prairie Region commended the officers in North Portal for preventing the weapons from entering Canada.
"We will not compromise the integrity of our borders and the safety of our communities; we cannot risk these falling into the wrong hands," he said.
The CBSA also advised travellers that they are required to declare all goods they are bringing into Canada, including any firearms and weapons in their possession. Failure to declare goods, including firearms, and other Customs Act contraventions may lead to prosecution in a court of law.
