A man who branded “snitch” into his captive’s chest was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday.
Darren Curtis Lagrelle, 20, pleaded guilty to forcible confinement and aggravated assault in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench at the start of what was scheduled as a three-day trial. Five other robbery- and firearm-related charges were withdrawn.
Crown prosecutor Ann MacDonald said on July 30, 2015 Lagrelle held another man at rifle point in a room at Red Deer’s Alladin Motor Inn.
Lagrelle demanded to know if his captive had snitched on another person years before.
At one point, he took his victim into the bathroom and used a knife and a torch to burn “snitch” into the man’s chest.
The man’s ordeal ended when RCMP, who had been looking to arrest Lagrelle on outstanding warrants, descended on the room.
Four men and three underage females were taken into custody.
Following the guilty plea, the Crown stayed more than a dozen mostly robbery- and assault-related charges against three other adult accused, Jeffrey Allan King, Daniel Arthur Potter and Corim Kyle Conway.
MacDonald said Lagrelle confessed to police when he was arrested.
The three-year sentence was a joint submission by the Crown prosecutor and Lagrelle’s lawyer Norm Clair.
Lagrelle who was 19 at the time of the offences, has a lengthy criminal record including 58 convictions.
Clair said his client co-operated fully with police.
“He held nothing from them,” he said.
The three-year sentence was a “reasonable offer” by the Crown, which he recommended his client accept, he said.
Lagrelle, who has been in custody since the incident, was given credit for 867 days in pre-trial custody leaving him with 228 days to serve.
He must also provide a DNA sample to a national crime database and was given a lifetime weapons ban.