Hells Angel and friend get five years for gun charges

KELOWNA – Two men with ties to the Hells Angels were each sentenced to five years in jail Tuesday for getting caught carrying an arsenal of weapons in 2010.

Hells Angel Joseph Bruce Skreptak, 52, and alleged gang associate Cory Montemurro, 44, were pulled over November 25, 2010 after leaving a legal marijuana grow operation in Salmon Arm. Inside the rented Jeep Cherokee police found a cache of weapons, including loaded handguns, a sawed off shotgun, body armour, gloves, duct tape, masks, a cell phone jammer, knives and other weapons.

The trial began September 17 with Crown lawyer Sandra Dworkin alleging the men were planning on confronting someone in the Tappen area, as evidenced by a hand-drawn map found shortly after the arrest.

Skreptak said he had no idea there were guns in the vehicle, nor did he know the items he put into his sock that night were bullets to a snub-nosed .38 revolver found later on the side of the road where they were pulled over.

At the sentencing Tuesday, Justice Allan Betton sentenced each to five years with credit for time served awaiting trial.

Charges against the two other men in the vehicle, Dennis Miner and Carl Ennis, were stayed.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.