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Your favourite source for news and entertainment in 30 pt EastR Central Alberta, reaching 90 communities weekly
Thursday, November 26, 2015 Volume 104 No. 48 www.ECAreview.com
11-26-2015Mich1.125x10.75.indd 1
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Hanna, AB • 403-854-3711
11/23/15 11:45:01 AM
Bashaw council ����������������� 2 Stettler town council ��������� 3 RCMP �������������������������������� 3 Real Estate/Homes ������������ 4 Alix council ������������������������ 5 Endmoor ��������������������������� 5 Letters ������������������������������� 6 PrairieView ������������������������ 6 Dining & Entertainment ���� 7 Agriculture ������������������� 8 - 9 Obituaries ���������������� 10 - 11 Hughenden school ���������� 13 Classifieds/Careers ��� 14 - 15
cumstances of that file. “No restitution was sought as the cattle were recovered.” The ECA Review contacted the RCMP livestock investigator but the call was not returned prior to going to press. In February 2015 Walter and Adeline Suntjens returned to their ranch, which has been in the family for 104 years, after a two-week vacation to find their lives and livelihood forever changed. Suntjens runs a 550 cow/calf operation and farms 3000 acres northeast of Hanna. According to Suntjens’, their hired man, Jason McDowell, his wife Kelly, their six children and Jason’s father, John had all up and left with only a note to explain their sudden disappearance. Turn to Countless, Pg 4
P U B L I C AU T O & R V AU C T I O N
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Cache Creek Natural Beef Company, which is another ranch operation that McDowell conned his way into, claims a Kamloops source. A court worker for the Kamloops Provincial Court informed the ECA Review that the victim surcharge is money that is given to the BC Victim Services which in turn is redirected to various victims of crime in the local area. The Suntjens’ were not named as recipients of McDowell’s restitution payments. According to the Kamloops Crown Counsel, Will Burrows who stated in an email to the ECA Review, “The decision to charge with respect to only 10 cattle was made by the Crown and/or police in Alberta, so I can’t help you with the cir-
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Jason McDowell, the former SilverSun Farm’s hired man was found guilty for only one count of cattle theft in the Kamloops Provincial Court on Nov. 18 where received an 18 month jail sentence for stealing 10 cows according to court documents. However, according to Walter Suntjens he had a total of 50 bred cows and 20 yearlings stolen. It is no wonder that SilverSun Farm owner Walter Suntjens prefers good ‘ole western justice’ over the current justice system when he claimed in a recent interview, “If these people are not sent to jail then ranchers and farmers will take justice into their own hands. We will not allow things like this
to happen so if the judges will not take care of it – then we will.” McDowell’s own mother Kathy English even called his sentence “ridiculous” and “a slap on the wrist.” McDowell’s defense lawyer’s request for ‘house arrest’ was denied by the presiding judge and he was sentenced to a 354 day jail term, a $100 victim surcharge and $20,000 in restitution for the charge of cattle theft and another six months in jail, a $200 victim surcharge and $11,430 in restitution for the two counts of theft over $5000. The $20,000 restitution payment is to be paid to Colton Sather, the Hughenden rancher who had unknowingly bought 10 of the stolen cattle and the $11,430 restitution payment is to go to the
U N R E S E RV E D I N D U S T R I A L E Q U I P M E N T AU C T I O N
Dena Clark
ECA Review Reporter
Thursdayay December 3, 2015 Calgary, Alberta Satu Saturdayy Decem Satur December Dece mber 5, 2015 Edmonton, Alberta
Hired man starved cattle to cover up theft
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The handi-work of Jason McDowell, former hired man for SilverSun Farms, who is alleged to have deliberately starved 550 cattle resulting in the death of at least 12 in attempt to cover up the theft of the 70 he stole while owners Walter and Adeline Suntjens were away on a two-week holiday. ECA Review/D.Clark
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