UN gang associate gets 8 ½ years for shooting at car outside strip club

United Nations gang associate Aram Ali was like a mercenary for hire when he shot up a rival’s vehicle outside a crowded strip club almost seven years ago, a B.C. Supreme Court judge said Friday.

Justice Heather Holmes sentenced Ali to 8½ years in prison for the targeted shooting he carried out on behalf of UN member Barzan Tilli-Choli on Feb. 16, 2009.

Holmes also gave Ali, now 30, double credit for the 2½ years he served in pre-trial custody, meaning a net sentence of 3½ years. Holmes convicted Ali in October of aggravated assault and discharging a firearm with intent to wound for the shooting outside T-Barz strip club in Surrey. But she acquitted him on a more serious attempted murder charge. Ali admitted he pulled the trigger of the semi-automatic handgun he was given by Tilli-Choli, but said he was only trying to hit the Range Rover’s hood and not its occupants.

Inside the vehicle were Independent Soldier Tyler Willock and two young women, who were not injured in the attack. Willock’s friend, who was driving and was identified only as F.S. at the trial, was struck in the shoulder.

Holmes cited several aggravating factors in Ali’s conduct, including that he was out on bail on drug charges when he did the shooting. But she also said there were mitigating factors, including that Ali was young and has shown remorse.

He had an unstable upbringing, fleeing his native Iraq with his family when he was just an infant and only coming to Canada at age 15.

Ali’s refugee status in Canada is under review because of his convictions, Holmes noted.

The judge ordered as a condition that Ali not have contact with a number of UN members and associates, including Tilli-Choli and gang founder Clay Roueche.

Roueche is serving a 30-year sentence in the U.S. for a massive cross-border drug smuggling operation.

Tilli-Choli is serving 14 years for conspiring to kill the Bacon brothers.