Career criminal earns another seven years behind bars

PENTICTON – Call it courthouse math: A man who has been sentenced to 21 years in jail in the last 19 years, yet still managed to find time to commit more crimes, has earned another seven years in prison.

Jon Russell Lowe appeared by video before Judge Gregory Koturbash in Penticton Provincial Court today, June 16, for sentencing for a Nov. 30, 2013 home invasion in Penticton. He was convicted of robbery, unlawful confinement and possessing a weapon for dangerous purpose.

Crown prosecutor Nashina Devji recounted how Lowe and a female accomplice entered the garage of a Calgary Avenue home on November 30, 2013, demanding money from a man and woman living there. Lowe and his accomplice, wearing hoods and bandanas, used zap straps to tie the occupants up.

Court heard the two victims were punched and struck with a blunt object before clothing, electronics, jewellery and money were taken from the main part of the residence during the home invasion, which lasted approximately an hour.

The victims managed to escape and call 911, but when police came, the male victim was reluctant to speak to police. He later admitted to knowing Lowe’s female accomplice.

From the information given police by the victim, the RCMP were able to determine a woman by the name of Amanda Sach was involved in the home invasion. She was arrested December 3, 2013 after police found her in Keremeos.

Sach provided police with a statement, telling police she and Lowe were taking drugs together in the days leading up to the home invasion. She said Lowe told her he was involved in organized crime and was just recently out of the penitentiary. They decided to do the home invasion to get money and drugs.

On Jan. 5, 2014, Lowe, 46, was arrested. He had robbed a bank in Kelowna the day before his arrest, while police were still looking for him for the home invasion weeks before.

In a statement to police, Lowe admitted to the home invasion, claiming he was acting on the direction of the criminal group “Independent Soldiers.”

Crown Counsel described a lengthy criminal past. In 1996 he received six years after being convicted of six counts of robbery and after being released violated his release conditions on two occasions. In 2004 he was convicted of four more robberies, receiving five years on each count to be served concurrently. In 2008, two more robbery charges got him four and half years  more time, to be served consecutively. He was released from that sentence on Sept. 5, 2013, just two months before the home invasion. (Lowe is currently in prison, serving five years for the Kelowna bank robbery which took place after the home invasion.)

In handing down his decision, Koturbash described a long list of aggravating circumstances, citing Lowe’s connection to organized crime, his lengthy criminal record and diminished prospect for rehabilitation, Lowe’s lack of insight into his actions and the need to protect society. Among mitigating circumstances were the facts Lowe cooperated with police and pled guilty to the offences.

Koturbash sentenced Lowe to seven years consecutive to any other sentence he might be serving for the robbery portion of the home invasion. He was also given an additional one year, concurrent  to any other sentence, for possessing a weapon for dangerous purpose, and an additional two years, concurrent, for unlawful confinement or imprisonment. He also faces a lifetime firearm ban and $600 in victim surcharge fees.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.