Weapons smugglers sentenced

Sentences range from hefty fines to jail time

Acouple of Americans caught trying to smuggle guns into Canada earlier this year have been heavily fined, while a third U.S. citizen will spend some time in a Canadian jail. Timothy Alan Steinborn pleaded guilty Friday in Lethbridge provincial court to seven counts of smuggling goods under the Canada Customs Act. He was sentenced to three months in jail, prohibited from possessing weapons for 10 months, and the guns he attempted to smuggle over the border were forfeited for destruction.

Court was told Steinborn was hauling a trailer with his truck when he arrived at the Coutts border crossing Aug. 27, 2016 on his way to Alaska. The retired Army Ranger declared a few guns when he was asked by a border officer if he had any weapons, but he didn’t declare any others. During a search if his vehicle and trailer officials found several restricted and non-restricted rifles, a shotgun, several prohibited, loaded handguns and ammunition.

Crown prosecutor Amelia Pask Snook said Steinborn’s offences would normally attract a sentence of six to nine months, but because of his significant medical issues she suggested three months would be more appropriate.

Calgary lawyer Luke Faught said his client now understands the “radical difference” in gun laws between Canada and the U.S. and is “very sorry for this offence.”

Faught pointed out his client served a distinguished career with the Rangers but suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and struggles to walk with his bad knees after making some 200 parachute drops. “He’s seriously banged up.” The two other U.S. citizens who were caught last spring smuggling guns across the border were levied fines.

Daniel Driscoll and his wife Desiree were driving separate vehicles when they arrived at the Coutts border about 11 a.m. April 11 on their way to Alaska. Daniel, who is a member of the U.S. armed forces, said he didn’t have any guns, but when border officers asked his wife, she said her husband had two handguns in his vehicle.

That discrepancy in stories led to a search of their vehicles during which officials found a handgun. When asked if there were more guns, Daniel, 32, said no, and was caught in another lie before finally admitting there were guns in a gun locker. Officers continued the search and found several restricted and non-restricted long guns.

Charges against Desiree were withdrawn, but Daniel pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling goods, was fined $15,000 and prohibited from possessing weapons for 10 years. He also had his guns forfeited for destruction.

Another U.S. citizen, Keith Patrick Newsom, was caught bringing guns into Canada.

Newsom, 27, arrived at the Coutts border crossing April 4 of this year where he told officers he was on his way to Alaska said he had three rifles but no handguns or ammunition magazines.

However, a search revealed the military man was carrying a Smith and Wesson 9-mm handgun, four prohibited overcapacity rifle magazines, and two prohibited overcapacity handgun mags.

Newsom was fined $7,500, prohibited from possessing weapons for 10 years, and had his guns and magazines forfeited for destruction.

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