Lawyers to argue sentences for 2 men convicted in Coutts border blockade

Lawyers were set to argue Thursday what a fit sentence should be for two protesters convicted for their roles in the 2022 border blockade near Coutts, Alta.

Earlier this month, a jury found Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert not guilty of the most serious charge they faced — conspiracy to murder police officers.

But the two men were found guilty of mischief and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb.

Justice David Labrenz is expected to hand down the sentences Friday.

He has said jurors weren’t satisfied there was an actual conspiracy to murder police. But after reviewing the facts of the case, the judge said the men were ready to engage in a shootout with officers.

Labrenz said because the accused were found guilty of having weapons for a dangerous purpose, jurors must have believed the men were willing to “engage in a war with police if it came to that eventuality.”

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Olienick and Carbert were charged after RCMP found guns, ammunition and body armour in trailers near the blockade at the key Canada-U.S. border crossing.

More guns, ammunition and two pipe bombs were located at Olienick’s home in Claresholm, Alta.

The blockade was one of several held across the country to protest COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.

Two other protesters charged with conspiracy to commit murder at the blockade pleaded guilty earlier this year to lesser charges.

Christopher Lysak was sentenced to three years for possession of a restricted firearm in an unauthorized place. Jerry Morin was sentenced to 3 1/2 years for conspiracy to traffic firearms.

Both sentences amounted to the time the men had already served in pretrial custody.