73 Year Old Facing Criminal Harassment And Weapons Charges

(ELLIOT LAKE, ON) – On August 25, 2016 shortly after 5:00 p.m., members of the East Algoma Ontario Provincial Police Detachment (OPP) responded to a report of harassing behaviour in the City of Elliot Lake.

A female had concerns of an elderly male who had approached her at inappropriate times in the past. The male would leave notes while she was away from her residence. He would attend her property unannounced. The last incident, the male mailed letters of a sexual nature to himself and made them appear as though they came from the female, then confronted her with them.

As a result of the investigation, police executed a search warrant at a residence on Spruce Avenue. Items seized included several insecure firearms, handguns and ammunition.

Banford SMITH, 73 years of age, from Elliot Lake, Ontario, was charged with:

Criminal Harassment-Beset and Watch Complainant, contrary to section 264(2)(c) of the Criminal Code (CC);

Careless Storage of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited Device or Ammunition (X3), contrary to section 86(1) of the CC;

Breach of Firearms Regulations-Store Firearms or Restricted Weapon (X3), contrary to section 86(2) of the CC;

Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm, contrary to section 91(1) of the CC; and

Possession of Prohibited Restricted Firearm (X2), contrary to section 95(b) of the

CC.

The accused appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice in Sault Ste. Marie on August 31, 2016.

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