A Princeton man was sentenced Monday to 45 months in jail after pleading guilty to a charge related to a home invasion that occurred here nearly two years ago.
Johnathan Haller, 24, pleaded guilty to robbery in supreme court in Penticton, while eight related counts including aggravated assault and uttering death threats were stayed.
Given time served, Haller will be released in November 2020, and will be eligible for parole in June. He will be subject to a three-year ban from the community following his release.
Related: Trial ordered in Princeton home invasion
The plea and sentence came as a surprise to the victim, Eric Goodfellow, and his family, who were notified of the development by the Crown’s office after it took place.
A court officer confirmed details of the proceedings for The Spotlight, but a call to the prosecutor was not returned before deadline.
The incident occurred May 13, 2018.
Eric Goodfellow called 911 at 5:50 a.m. the morning of Mother’s Day to report a robbery, according to information RCMP released the following day.
The then 90-year-old man was taken to Princeton General Hospital, and transferred to Penticton, suffering from a serious head injury.
Related: Police make arrest related to assault on elderly Princeton man
Haller was initially charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, aggravated assault, break and enter, possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm without licence or registration, storage of a firearm contrary to regulation and possession of a firearm contrary to order.
He was arrested in Penticton several days after the May 13 incident.
Goodfellow has lived in Princeton his entire life. He was the son of a local minister and an employee of the B.C. telephone company. Following his father’s death, he was called upon by members of the community to speak at funerals, and then weddings, and eventually became a B.C. marriage commissioner.
He spoke at over 780 burials, and presided over 580 marriages, before retiring about four years ago.
Goodfellow is a former Legion president, was active in the chamber of commerce, and during the 1980s, was named Princeton’s citizen of the year.
Charges against Haller related to threatening a witness in the initial case are still unresolved, and he will appear next in court January 27.
Related: Princeton man accused of threatening witness – from behind bars
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