One of two men charged in relation to a shooting incident earlier this year in Mission has been sentenced.
Joseph Ross Raso, 33, who has been in custody since Jan. 10, was sentenced Aug. 3 in Abbotsford provincial court to time served and one year of probation. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Five other charges were stayed: forcible confinement, attempted murder, two weapons charges, and another charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Raso and co-accused Thomas Zdravko Strenja, 37, were arrested Jan. 10 after an incident that began at about 1 p.m., when police were called to a reported drive-by shooting in the 30000 block of Dewdney Trunk Road (the Stave Falls area).
Police at the time confirmed that a person had been shot and was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators soon determined that the suspects were holding a woman against her will in a vehicle.
Multiple police resources were dispatched, and the suspect vehicle was located and stopped in Coquitlam.
Three men were taken into custody – one was later released without charges – and several guns were seized.
The female victim was found to be safe and unharmed.
Charges were announced the following day against Raso and Strenja.
Strenja is still proceeding through the courts on charges of attempted murder and forcible confinement in relation to the incident. His next scheduled appearance is Aug. 24.
He is also scheduled for a sentencing hearing Sept. 14 in Port Coquitlam after pleading guilty to a charge of assault causing bodily harm that occurred in Coquitlam on Jan. 9, 2016.
