A lengthy court process after a guilty plea earlier this year has landed one person in jail for almost two years.
Jordan Pritchard, 27, of Red Deer was sentenced to two years less a day in Red Deer provincial court on Friday before Judge Ken Rostad.
Pritchard pleaded guilty to break and enter with intent to aid and abet an indictable offence, which was his role in a May 14, 2013, home invasion.
Earlier this year, there was some confusion over his role and relationship with the occupant of the Park Avenue residence that was the target of the robbery.
He pleaded guilty to helping two other people rob a drug dealer on Feb. 14. However, questions were raised over his involvement in the incident after his testimony at the trial of David James Kertesz, 28, of Red Deer.
Pritchard changed lawyers before cementing his guilty plea and being sentenced.
Pritchard was high on cocaine and looking for more when the incident occurred. He, Kertesz and allegedly a third man who is awaiting trial, went to Pritchard’s dealer. Pritchard was under the assumption they were going to buy more drugs.
However, the two men hid in the shadows as Pritchard banged on the window of the dealer’s residence and asked to be let in.
When the dealer opened the door, the two men emerged from the shadows and pointed firearms at the dealer, one armed with a sawed-off rifle and the other with a handgun.
All they got was $83, a laptop and a cellphone.
Pritchard was the last to leave the residence. Not wanting to get involved anymore, Pritchard ditched the gun he had been given and fled the scene himself.
Pritchard has been in custody since his arrest in May 2013. The total sentence given to him by Rostad was 45 months, but because of his pre-sentence custody, the sentence was reduced to 24 months, less a day. Pritchard was also given a lifetime firearms prohibition.
Kertesz was found guilty of robbery, using an imitation firearm to commit a robbery, kidnapping, forcible confinement, break and enter and extortion in a Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench trial in March. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 8.
Garnet Colby McInnes, 23, of Red Deer is awaiting a series of trials in Red Deer starting later this year for his alleged role in the incident. He has been charged with robbery, dangerous driving, assault, kidnapping, unlawful confinement, extortion and several weapons offences.
mcrawford@www.reddeeradvocate.com