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Burt gets 210 days for Chilliwack assault

Jordan C. Burt put a gun in the mouth of a man he believed had ratted him out
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Jordan C. Burt was sentenced to 210 days after pleading guilty to a pair of weapons-related charges. (Special to Bay City News/New Africa)

Jordan C. Burt was handed 210 more days in custody on Friday after pleading guilty to a pair of weapons-related charges.

Burt, 27, appeared in Chilliwack provincial court Oct. 7. A joint submission hammered out between Crown and defence saw him sentenced for one count of using an imitation firearm, and one count of assault with a weapon.

On Sept. 7, 2020 Burt and co-accused, Taylor Priebe, were trying to rent a U-Haul truck and get a vehicle registered. They met two men at the corner of Hamilton Street and Lewis Avenue. When Burt and Priebe saw one of them, they got upset. They believed he had been spreading rumours about them and activities they were planning.

“Ratting them out,” in the words of Crown counsel Aaron Burns.

The lawyer told the court the four men got into a Toyota Camry station wagon and went for a drive. Priebe was in the back seat with the victim. The other man drove, with Burt in the front passenger seat.

Priebe reached into a bag, pulled out something that looked like a handgun, and hit the victim occasionally during the ride. After arriving at a remote location, Burt pulled out something that looked like a firearm and put it into the victim’s mouth.

Somehow the situation settled down from there, with the victim escaping unharmed.

Burt was arrested 10 days later.

Crown said the seriousness of the crime, combined with Burt’s long criminal record, would normally merit a longer sentence. But the victim and the other man were both described as “heavily entrenched in drug use,” at the time and weren’t reliable witnesses. Both were also reluctant to testify in court.

And, while there was video evidence placing Priebe at the crime scene, Burt couldn’t be identified with 100 per cent certainty.

The judge agreed that the Crown’s case was mostly circumstantial and accepted the sentence recommendation.

Burt has already served 590 days at Surrey Pre-Trial Services Centre. Credited for time-and-a-half, that number rises to 885 days, leaving him with 210 to go. After he gets out, he’ll be on probation for three years, barred from going anywhere near the victim and the other man.

He is also forbidden from owning a firearm for life and has to submit a DNA sample.

Priebe’s sentencing is still to come. His sentencing hearing earlier this week was held over to November because he changed lawyers.


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eric.welsh@theprogress.com

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Eric Welsh

About the Author: Eric Welsh

I joined the Chilliwack Progress in 2007, originally hired as a sports reporter.
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