Quesnel resident Earl Edward Roper appeared in court Aug. 28 on charges including possession of stolen property over $5,000; two counts of possession of a firearm without a licence or registration; careless use or storage of a firearm; storing a firearm contrary to regulation; and two counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000. He also faces one charge of breach of undertaking.
The charges stem from a January 3, 2018 incident in which Roper and Steven Gerald Schuk were discovered with stolen property at a residence on Blackwater Road.
Schuk was sentenced to one month plus 75 days in jail and fined $100 in April 2018, in relation to the incident.
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Roper appeared for his arraignment on Aug. 28 and will next appear in Quesnel Provincial Court on Sept. 18, to fix a date for a hearing or trial.
His court appearances have been ongoing since January. Roper had been scheduled for sentencing on these charges on June 20, 2018; however, during a court appearance in June his then-lawyer applied to be removed from the case. Roper was then allowed to re-enter his plea after consultation with his new lawyer.
The accused is not currently in custody.
Background
After a break-and-enter and theft at a business on Keis Avenue in Quesnel on Jan. 1, 2018, the business owner gave police a tip on Jan. 3, reporting he had information as to where his stolen electronic device may be located.
A press release from the Quesnel RCMP states members of the Quesnel RCMP General Duty and Crime Reduction units went to a residence in the 1700 block of Blackwater Road to follow up on the tip.
They found a stolen trailer parked at the home when they arrived.
Upon entering the house, the officers stated they saw stolen property in plain view.
The RCMP members subsequently arrested some occupants of the home for possession of stolen property.
Once a search warrant was obtained, police stated they seized the electronic device belonging to the business from Keis Avenue, as well as firearms and other stolen property.
editor@quesnelobserver.com
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