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Arrest of gun-toting American at Canadian border enrages U.S. firearms community
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/0...nadian-border-enrages-u-s-firearms-community/
“Screw Canada.”
“Another reason not to venture to the dark north.”
Gun-related message boards lit up this week over news of the arrest of an American man at the Canadian border.
Retired U.S. Army sergeant major Louis DiNatale and his wife were on a romantic getaway from Kentucky to Vermont when they say their GPS led them astray to the border.
When DiNatale failed to declare a loaded handgun in the centre console — he says he simply forgot it was there — he was detained for four days and now faces gun-smuggling charges that could land him in prison for three years.
===============================================================
‘I didn’t know there was gun control in Canada’: U.S. student spends four months in Canadian custody after carrying pistol across the border
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/06/i-didnt-know-there-was-gun-control-in-canada-u-s-student-spends-four-months-in-canadian-custody-after-carrying-pistol-across-the-border/
Kraig Jacobson released after four months for carrying gun to Canadian border
On July 16, Kraig Jacobson, a Utah college student, was 10 days into a cross-country motorcycle trip when he neglected to tell a Canadian border guard he was carrying a 38-calibre handgun during a quick jaunt to Niagara Falls, Ont. Four months and $10,000 later — and with friends back home launching a “Free Kraig” campaign of T-shirts and petitions calling for his release — the 26-year-old was freed from Canadian custody in early November. The National Post’s Tristin Hopper called Mr. Jacobson in his Alpine, Utah, hometown to get the details of his unwitting brush with Canadian law.
Q How did this all start?
A My brother and I decided to go on a 12,000-mile road trip on our motorcycles and also raise money for the [American Cancer Society’s] Relay for Life. We were going to be camping a lot, so a friend suggested I bring my pistol for protection against wild animals. Apparently, it’s a prohibited weapon; I didn’t even know there was gun control in Canada.
Q What happened after you were taken into custody at Niagara’s Rainbow Bridge border crossing?
A We had heard Niagara Falls had a better view on the Canadian side and we were just going over the border for 20 minutes to take a look. I’m very nervous around authority figures and when the guard asked me if I had a weapon I panicked, thinking I was going to get in trouble, so I said, “No.” He waved me over to another officer, who again asked me if I had any weapons. I said, “Yes,” thinking they would give me a second chance — but they did not.
Q You spent 18 days in detention before being released to live with friends while your case was resolved. While incarcerated were you, as the stereotype goes, treated politely?
A Yeah, I hear that compared to the U.S. it’s not bad at all. But you still have to make sure you’re not stepping on other people’s toes. I saw fights in there, mostly over really dumb stuff like a guy who got punched in the face over a sticky bun.
Q Who else was in there?
A Some deserved to be in there, but others had just made some mistakes. One man was going up to his father-in-law’s funeral and he didn’t declare his guns. They take your gun when you declare it and then you have to return to the same border crossing to get it back, but he didn’t want to do that. He’s probably still there in jail just waiting; he was facing three years of charges.
Q How did you wrap up the case and get home?
A My lawyer advised we should plead guilty and argue the sentence down, but it still took 3 months before I was finally released. I had to pay $1,000 to get my bike out of seizure and drove it out of Ontario, but then it got really cold, Hurricane Sandy hit and then it snowed on me in Pennsylvania. I had to leave the bike in Cleveland and take a flight home.
Q Back home, there was a strong campaign to have you released, with newspapers, radio stations and petitions all taking up the cause. Do you think it helped?
A Actually, it kind of hurt the case. All the news articles were saying that the Crown Attorney was being too harsh for demanding a four- to six-month jail sentence. Although he later changed his mind, he couldn’t go back on that or he would seem weak.
Q What’s the final toll, financially and personally?
A Without opportunity cost, it was about $10,000 [fines and legal expenses included]. With opportunity cost, like missed work, it was probably around $20,000. I’ve got a little bleaker outlook on life now. I had just barely gotten to a point when my debt was under control before I left and now it’s come crashing down on me.
Q Pondering any future visits to Canada?
A I was given a lifetime ban from Canada so I can never return again … but Canada seemed like a nice place. I prefer warmer climates so I would never live there but the people are nice.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/0...nadian-border-enrages-u-s-firearms-community/
“Screw Canada.”
“Another reason not to venture to the dark north.”
Gun-related message boards lit up this week over news of the arrest of an American man at the Canadian border.
Retired U.S. Army sergeant major Louis DiNatale and his wife were on a romantic getaway from Kentucky to Vermont when they say their GPS led them astray to the border.
When DiNatale failed to declare a loaded handgun in the centre console — he says he simply forgot it was there — he was detained for four days and now faces gun-smuggling charges that could land him in prison for three years.
===============================================================
‘I didn’t know there was gun control in Canada’: U.S. student spends four months in Canadian custody after carrying pistol across the border
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/06/i-didnt-know-there-was-gun-control-in-canada-u-s-student-spends-four-months-in-canadian-custody-after-carrying-pistol-across-the-border/
Kraig Jacobson released after four months for carrying gun to Canadian border
On July 16, Kraig Jacobson, a Utah college student, was 10 days into a cross-country motorcycle trip when he neglected to tell a Canadian border guard he was carrying a 38-calibre handgun during a quick jaunt to Niagara Falls, Ont. Four months and $10,000 later — and with friends back home launching a “Free Kraig” campaign of T-shirts and petitions calling for his release — the 26-year-old was freed from Canadian custody in early November. The National Post’s Tristin Hopper called Mr. Jacobson in his Alpine, Utah, hometown to get the details of his unwitting brush with Canadian law.
Q How did this all start?
A My brother and I decided to go on a 12,000-mile road trip on our motorcycles and also raise money for the [American Cancer Society’s] Relay for Life. We were going to be camping a lot, so a friend suggested I bring my pistol for protection against wild animals. Apparently, it’s a prohibited weapon; I didn’t even know there was gun control in Canada.
Q What happened after you were taken into custody at Niagara’s Rainbow Bridge border crossing?
A We had heard Niagara Falls had a better view on the Canadian side and we were just going over the border for 20 minutes to take a look. I’m very nervous around authority figures and when the guard asked me if I had a weapon I panicked, thinking I was going to get in trouble, so I said, “No.” He waved me over to another officer, who again asked me if I had any weapons. I said, “Yes,” thinking they would give me a second chance — but they did not.
Q You spent 18 days in detention before being released to live with friends while your case was resolved. While incarcerated were you, as the stereotype goes, treated politely?
A Yeah, I hear that compared to the U.S. it’s not bad at all. But you still have to make sure you’re not stepping on other people’s toes. I saw fights in there, mostly over really dumb stuff like a guy who got punched in the face over a sticky bun.
Q Who else was in there?
A Some deserved to be in there, but others had just made some mistakes. One man was going up to his father-in-law’s funeral and he didn’t declare his guns. They take your gun when you declare it and then you have to return to the same border crossing to get it back, but he didn’t want to do that. He’s probably still there in jail just waiting; he was facing three years of charges.
Q How did you wrap up the case and get home?
A My lawyer advised we should plead guilty and argue the sentence down, but it still took 3 months before I was finally released. I had to pay $1,000 to get my bike out of seizure and drove it out of Ontario, but then it got really cold, Hurricane Sandy hit and then it snowed on me in Pennsylvania. I had to leave the bike in Cleveland and take a flight home.
Q Back home, there was a strong campaign to have you released, with newspapers, radio stations and petitions all taking up the cause. Do you think it helped?
A Actually, it kind of hurt the case. All the news articles were saying that the Crown Attorney was being too harsh for demanding a four- to six-month jail sentence. Although he later changed his mind, he couldn’t go back on that or he would seem weak.
Q What’s the final toll, financially and personally?
A Without opportunity cost, it was about $10,000 [fines and legal expenses included]. With opportunity cost, like missed work, it was probably around $20,000. I’ve got a little bleaker outlook on life now. I had just barely gotten to a point when my debt was under control before I left and now it’s come crashing down on me.
Q Pondering any future visits to Canada?
A I was given a lifetime ban from Canada so I can never return again … but Canada seemed like a nice place. I prefer warmer climates so I would never live there but the people are nice.
