Sentencing hearing begins for men convicted of leading Coutts blockade

A sentencing hearing is set to start today for three men convicted of helping co-ordinate a blockade at the Canada-U.S. border at Coutts, Alta., in protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard (George) Janzen were each found guilty in April of mischief over $5,000.

They were charged for their roles in the blockade that tied up cross-border traffic for two weeks in early 2022.

Defence lawyers didn't call evidence during the trial, and the three accused didn't testify.

Mounties told the jury that, as the protest dragged on, officers increasingly turned to the men to negotiate.

The Crown argued the trio became the faces of the blockade and spoke on behalf of protesters.

"They are not some mere messengers. They use the words, ‘We, our and us,'" prosecutor Steven Johnston told the trial.

In a separate case, protesters Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert were charged with conspiracy to murder police officers at the blockade.

In September, a jury found them not guilty but convicted them for possessing a firearm dangerous to the public peace and mischief over $5,000. Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb.

They were each sentenced to 6 1/2 years behind bars. Their mischief convictions netted concurrent terms of six months.

Van Huigenbos attended that sentencing hearing and said outside court that he expected the Crown would ask for him to serve more than six months.

"I feel they will look for more. The worst is 10 years," said Van Huigenbos. "That won't happen, but I expect to see something along the lines of a request for 1 1/2 years ... something like that."

The two-day hearing for the three men was initially scheduled for September but was delayed to give Van Huigenbos time to find a new lawyer.