Man acquitted in kidnapping convicted in another abduction

A man who was acquitted in the kidnapping of Graham McMynn has been convicted in another abduction.

In October 2008, Van Van Vu was one of two men found not guilty in the April 2006 abduction of McMynn, a former University of B.C. student. Three other accused were convicted in McMynn’s kidnapping. After the McMynn case, Vu was one of six men charged in the November 2011 gang-related abduction of Eric Low.

On Monday, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Barbara Fisher found Vu guilty of three charges in the Low abduction — conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping and assault causing bodily harm.

Four of the other accused earlier pleaded guilty and received jail sentences. A sixth accused, gangster Jesse Margison, was beaten while in custody and deemed unfit to stand trial. Vu was the only one of the six accused to have been released on bail. Sentencing of Vu is expected at a later date.

At the time of the Low kidnapping, the gang task force was conducting surveillance on Margison, a member of the Independent Soldiers gang. Court heard that Low was targeted in a sophisticated kidnapping scheme that involved the use of encrypted communication devices and tracking devices on Low’s vehicles. At least one of the kidnappers believed that Low had millions of dollars and was a high-level drug trafficker.

On the day of the incident, two of the kidnappers — John Ross Powers and Cody Alexander Sleigh, parked a van beside Low’s vehicle in the parking lot of a Blockbuster video store at 50th and Fraser, so they could surprise Low. When Low approached his vehicle, Powers and Sleigh jumped out of the van and began assaulting Low. One of them struck Low on the head with a pistol about five times. Low resisted and began screaming, but was forced into the van. Powers restrained Low in a headlock and Sleigh drove away at high speed with Low’s legs still dangling out of a sliding door.

Police, who were conducting surveillance, did an emergency takedown and arrested Powers and Sleigh. Low, who had a zap strap wrapped loosely around his ankle, was covered in blood. Police found a pistol on the floor between the two front seats and seized a quantity of ammunition.Vu, Margison and two others were later arrested in the kidnapping.