Lonnie Eashappie was sentenced on Tuesday at Prince Albert Provincial Court. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

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A 17-year-old boy on his way home from a volleyball game, was forced to stop on the highway, threatened with a shotgun and then robbed of his car.

Those details were read in a Prince Albert courtroom Tuesday morning by Crown Prosecutor Gail Douglas.

Lonnie Eashappie, 29, received a four-year prison sentence for the crime that was committed last September outside Birch Hills.

The teenage boy was not hurt and cooperated with the two masked suspects.

The day after the robbery, Eashappie was found at Wahpeton Dakota Nation, sleeping behind the wheel of the truck that was used during the offence and beside him was a loaded shotgun.

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While admitting to having consumed meth the night prior and explaining it was his first time sleeping in a while, Eashappie also confessed to police both the truck and the gun belonged to a man who is known as a high ranking member of a local street gang.

Guilty pleas were entered in court to a number of offences including theft and being an occupant in a vehicle in which a firearm is present.

The sentence represented a joint submissions from lawyers, and Douglas acknowledged Eashappie was getting a bit of a break. His cooperation with police was considered a mitigating factor.

With credit for time spent in remand, Eashappie has roughly three years and four months left to serve.

Given that he has a prior gun related conviction, following his release from custody Eashappie will be prohibited for life from owning or possessing any firearms or explosives.

When given the opportunity in court to speak, he apologized to both the court and the victim.

“I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have been there in the first place,” he said, adding he now wants to move forward with his life and make better choices.

His lawyer Ian Goldberg mentioned Eashappie, who is from Melfort, is currently working on completing his Grade 12.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell