Armed with the information from the notes and the storage receipts we contacted our Customs and Excise section in Calgary and they executed search warrants on the storage containers. Michael J. had been a busy man. Tucked away in the containers were another Bronco, a ’66 Corvette, more firearms, more boats and more supplies. In the trunk of the Corvette was $255,000.00 US.
The next day we had Michael J. in court, charged with several offences (four counts possession of stolen property, one count of unsafe storage of firearms, and unlawful possession of a restricted weapon. We fully expected him to be held in custody, given his self professed contempt of the court and his non-resident status, but the Court has never ceased to surprise me and he was released on his own recognizance. But we still weren’t done with Michael J.
Immediately after his release from court, he was arrested by our Federal Section out of Prince Albert for being illegally in the country. He had given false statements at the border crossings and to me, and it was clear from the evidence including his notes that he intended to stay in Canada, disappearing in to the “wild”. He had to be taken before an Immigration Board within 24 hours.
Also because he had intended to live in Canada and wasn’t a visitor, his personal effects were subject to duty, which because he had tried to sneak in, was doubled to include a penalty. We assessed him duty and penalty on his truck, boat and motor, which amounted to $17,000.00.
Michael J. hired a high profile lawyer out of Alberta and contested every thing. In the mean time Calgary charged him duty and penalty on everything in the storage containers. They also charged him under the Immigration Act for working illegally in Canada (those good old notes). His legal troubles weren’t limited to Canada either, the FBI contacted me to see if I would attend a Grand Jury in Great Falls Montana as he was being charged with taking all that currency out of the States without declaring it. (“Would I? Let me think about this for a… Okay!”) And there was now an additional warrant for him for the theft of the plate from Nevada.
The Immigration board deported him, but gave him 30 days to leave the country, making it impossible for us to alert US authorities as to when he’d be leaving and where he could be found. He had to return for our court dates and those in Calgary. Kevin, who acted as exhibit man on the file, was required to go to Calgary for their trials, having seized keys to the storage lockers.
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Quite a saga Clare.
BTW, did you find a kitchen sink in the containers, he seemed to have just about everything else.
No kitchen sink Duncan, but I’m sure he probably sold it before coming north.