A former Innisfail RCMP officer will be sentenced on Sept. 6 or sooner, it was decided on Thursday in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench.
Hoa Dong La, 47, was to have been sentenced in June on charges of extortion, criminal harassment and mortgage fraud in relation to properties he and members of his families purchased and rented out in Innisfail and Bowden areas.
That sentencing hearing did not go ahead after defence counsel Ian McKay told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice David Gates that he had discovered new evidence that may have affected the outcome of the trial. McKay said at the time that he may seek a mistrial or ask that the trial be reopened, swinging on a review of documents and video tapes.
Calgary lawyer Chris Evans, who reviewed the evidence with McKay, advised the court on Thursday that the defence was prepared to proceed with sentencing.
Justice Gates said Thursday that the delay in sentencing was unnecessary and he wants the rescheduled hearing to go ahead as soon as possible.
La was convicted in March of two counts of criminal harassment, two counts of extortion and 10 counts of mortgage fraud.
La, a resident of Airdrie, remains free from custody under strict conditions.
He has resigned from the RCMP, with whom he most recently served in Calgary in the passport and immigration section.