SUNDRE — A local male with a track record involving numerous offences related to multiple instances of property crimes, was recently sentenced for assaulting a peace officer while several other charges were withdrawn.
On Dec. 22, 2021, Daniel Conway, a Sundre-area resident of Mountain View County, received a 57-day sentence, one-year probation, as well as a 10-year firearm prohibition over the charge of assaulting a peace officer with a weapon.
Conway was twice arrested last spring and summer and subsequently charged with a list of criminal offences including, but not limited to, break and entering with intent, possession of property obtained by crime, arson/damage to property, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and assault on police office with a weapon.
He was, according to information received through a media inquiry with Alberta Court Checks, also sentenced to 63 days for fleeing from a peace officer as well as 60 days for arson/damage to property.
The following criminal charges and Traffic Safety Act offences were withdrawn: dangerous operation of a motor vehicle; driving a vehicle without insurance; unlawfully setting a fire; failure to supervise/extinguish fire; breaking and entering a house with intent; and possession of property under $5,000.
“My understanding right now, is that he isn’t out. But he probably will get released in the near future,” said Sgt. Trent Sperlie, Sundre RCMP detachment commander, on Jan. 7 during a phone interview.
“Whether somebody’s, in our opinion or in anybody else’s opinion, a prolific offender — somebody at risk to continue (committing) property offences and things like that — it’s not too relevant to us. But if somebody does come out and they have conditions on them, we will create a file and we will monitor those conditions diligently,” the sergeant told The Albertan.
“Any conditions that may be on him, we’re definitely going to be checking,” he said.
While “there is no such a thing” as a repeat offender list, he said some individuals “come and go from our radars. People that we frequently see in our day-to-day duties, and people that we frequently arrest, we definitely focus where the energy is needed.”
Looking over a file, Sperlie said Conway’s case did not appear to go to trial.
“I don’t see any trial stuff here at all,” he said. “As far as I can see, everything was just a plea.”
What that typically means is an accused will agree to a deal and plead guilty to some charges in exchange for having other offences withdrawn.
After being arrested alongside Conway last, August Paige Kendra Patterson, a 27-year-old female from Sundre, had also been charged with break and enter to commit; alter/deface/destroy a vehicle identification number; possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000; and four counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.
Her case remains before the courts, with the next scheduled appearance set for Jan. 12 in Canmore provincial court for election and plea.
