Man with loaded gun at Vernon hotel sent to prison

VERNON – A drunken man who had a loaded gun at a Vernon hotel has been sentenced to four years in prison.

It was 4 a.m. on December 7th 2012 when RCMP were called to the Holiday Inn to deal with three rowdy guests who were creating a ruckus, including pulling the fire alarm.

When police arrested the trio, officers seized more than $27,000 and a loaded .40 calibre handgun that had been smuggled into Canada from California.

In sentencing Jonathan Alexander Brown of Surrey, the judge noted the 23 year old was not visiting Vernon for any innocent purpose.

When caught with the pistol, Brown was on a 10 year firearms prohibition stemming from an earlier conviction.

Now he’s been banned from possessing firearms for life.