Kamloops Traffic Stop Leads to Three-Year Sentence for Valemount Man

A routine traffic stop by the Uniform Gang Enforcement Team in Kamloops last year has resulted in a three-year jail sentence for a Valemount resident. Officers with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia say the stop took place on March 22, 2024, after an electric motorbike was seen committing several traffic violations.

Police report that the rider did not stop when signalled, but was arrested shortly afterward. A search led to the seizure of drugs, cash and a semi-automatic handgun with ammunition. Investigators later confirmed the man, identified as 48-year-old Christopher Fillingham, was already under a court-ordered prohibition from possessing weapons.

The BC Prosecution Service approved charges in October 2024, including unauthorized possession of a loaded restricted firearm and possession of a restricted firearm while prohibited. Fillingham entered a guilty plea to the first charge on November 10, 2025, in B.C. Supreme Court in Kamloops.

The court sentenced Fillingham to three years in jail and ordered a lifetime firearms ban, along with a DNA order. Police say the case highlights ongoing efforts to limit gang-related activity and illegal firearms in Interior communities.