Four-year sentence urged for selling illegal firearms
Crown and defence lawyers are asking for a four-year prison sentence for a Surrey man who sold guns to an undercover police officer.
Marco Miguel Prata Matias, 26, pleaded guilty in September to transferring firearms, possessing a loaded firearm without a licence and possessing firearms contrary to an order. Matias was initially facing 21 charges.
A sentencing hearing was held Tuesday in provincial court in Surrey.
In March 2013, police received information that two men — one of whom was Matias — were selling firearms in the Lower Mainland. An undercover officer contacted Matias on March 14 to arrange a meeting to look at some guns.
Two days later the officer went to a Surrey home and met Matias, who brought out two Glock handguns and one MAC10. Matias told the officer that one Glock had been stolen from a police car in Kelowna and had its serial number removed. The other was new. Both were loaded. The MAC-10 was refurbished, fully automatic and had an extended magazine. It also had its serial number removed. It was not loaded.
Matias then showed the officer a new, loaded, semi-automatic KRISS rifle and a refurbished SKS rifle. The officer agreed to buy the new Glock and the SKS rifle, along with some ammunition.
Matias and the officer met again on March 20, and the officer purchased the KRISS. Matias said he was going to get more KRISS rifles.
Investigators conducted surveillance on Matias until his arrest on April 9. When he was taken into custody he had just over $1,500 on him, $100 of which had come from the undercover officer.
Crown and defence made a joint submission for a four-year prison term for Matias. The firearms offences have a mandatory minimum term of three years.
Defence lawyer Zachary Myers said Matias feels remorse and shame about what he’s done. Myers said his client understands the gravity of his offences and the consequences he’s facing. Matias has a driving record, but no prior criminal record. He has been in custody since he was arrested a second time on Aug. 1, 2013. It was suggested he receive 1.5 times credit for the one year, five months and 19 days he’s spent in jail. Judge Melissa Gillespie will deliver her decision on Friday.