Court Report: April 15th to April 19th

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Below are the latest sentences handed out from the Fort St. John and Dawson Creek Provincial Courts from April 15th to April 19th.

Fort St. John Provincial Court sentencing, April 15th:

Viktor Betcher (born 1987)

Betcher was found guilty of one count of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm, and three counts of being unlawfully in a dwelling-house for an incident in Baldonnel on January 18th, 2022. 

Betcher was issued an 18-month conditional sentence, which is a sentence to be served outside of jail under strict conditions, sometimes called “house arrest.” 

Betcher also received an 18-month probation order, a 10-year discretionary firearm prohibition, and a $100 victim surcharge, which goes towards helping victims of a crime. 

They were also issued a DNA order and required to report for a sample collection.

Nicola St Gelais (born 2004)

St Gelais was issued a conditional discharge for one charge of uttering threats for an incident in Fort St. John on April 11th, 2023. A conditional discharge means the record won’t show a conviction if a person meets the conditions the judge sets.

St Gelais was also issued a 12-month probation order, a two-year discretionary firearm prohibition, a $100 victim surcharge, and a DNA order. They were also required to report for a sample collection.

Dawson Creek Provincial Court sentencing, April 16th:

Shawn Philip Wood (born 1980)

Wood was found guilty of three counts of possessing a non-firearm unauthorized, seven counts of driving while prohibited or with a suspended license, and three counts of possessing a firearm without license and/or registration, for an incident in Chetwynd on February 8th, 2022.

Wood was sentenced to a forfeiture, a 270-day conditional sentence, a 12-month probation order, an eight-year discretionary firearm prohibition, a one-year driving ban, a $500 fine and a $75 victim surcharge.

Fort St. John Provincial Court sentencing, April 17th:

Riley Brandon Henkel (born 1997)

Henkel entered a guilty plea to the lesser included offense of mischief under $5,000 for an incident in Hudson’s Hope on September 20th, 2022. Henkel was sentenced to a conditional discharge with a probation order for six months, and a $100 victim surcharge.

James O’Brien (born 1977)

O’Brien was issued a conditional discharge for one count of dangerous operation of a conveyance, two counts of assault with a weapon, and three counts of breach of undertaking, for an incident on March 1st, 2022 in Charlie Lake. O’Brien was sentenced to a 12-month probation order and a $100 victim surcharge.

Fort St. John Provincial Court sentencing, April 19th:

Philip Clayton Testawitch (born 1988)

Testawitch was found guilty of three counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, one count of uttering threats, and eight counts of breaching a probation order for incidents in Fort St. John during September and December of 2023.

Testawitch was sentenced to jail time served, a forfeiture, which allows the government to seize property and assets “tainted” by crime, and a 12-month probation order. Testawitch was also sentenced to a total of 185 days of additional jail time.

Dawson Creek Provincial Court sentencing, April 19th:

Brandon Steven Mihalyi (born 1985)

Mihalyi was issued a six-month recognizance after the allegation for one count of assault with a weapon in Tumbler Ridge on July 3rd, 2022. If they break the conditions laid out by the court, they must pay a $500 fine.

Jason Peter Supernault (born 1976)

Supernault was found guilty of one count of refusal, two counts of impaired operation, and three counts of driving while prohibited or with a suspended license for an incident in Dawson Creek on July 26th, 2022. 

Supernault was sentenced to fines totalling $2,500, including a $75 victim surcharge, as well as a 12-month probation order and a two-year criminal driving prohibition.