City man sentenced to prison for crime spree

A Lethbridge man nabbed by police following a crime spree in two provinces has been sent to a federal penitentiary.

James Maxwell Moczo was sent to prison for three years after he pleaded guilty Wednesday in Lethbridge provincial court to two counts of housebreaking, and one count each of theft of a motor vehicle, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle, unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of stolen property.

Court was told Moczo, 36, and another man were caught by surveillance camera stealing a pickup truck Aug. 30 that was parked outside the Chinook Regional Hospital. The two men had used keys that were taken from a desk in the hospital. Moczo was also one of three men who committed five break-ins over five days, including two on the city’s southside in which rifles were stolen.

On another occasion in Saskatchewan, RCMP set up surveillance after they found a stolen truck parked in the alley near the home of Moczo’s mother. Police saw Moczo climb into the truck and they arrested him. During the arrest they found in the vehicle a shotgun for which Moczo was not licensed to possess.

Crown prosecutor Michael Fox said the offences were part of a crime spree in which Moczo was involved. Two other men, Draye Storm Sterba and Derek Edward Schalk, are likely headed for trial.

Defence lawyer Vincent Guinan told court his client has a “crippling addiction” to the drug fentanyl, which is at the root of his criminal activities.

In September Moczo pleaded guilty to charges of breaching probation, assault and theft under $5,000 and was sentenced to five months in jail. Then earlier this month he pleaded guilty to drug possession and possession of stolen property and was sentenced to 14 days in jail. The jail sentences will run concurrently with the three-year prison term to which he was sentenced Wednesday.

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