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Deline man sentenced to 18 months

A Deline man was sentenced to 18 months in jail after a dramatic alcohol-fueled, firearm related incident in that community earlier this year.. Jamie Takazo, 43, was handed his punishment by judge Andrew Mahar in court in Yellowknife on Aug. 1.

Takazo pleaded guilty to two charges and was convicted by Mahar on July 24 of possession a firearm while he was prohibited from doing so, and pointing a firearm at an RCMP officer.

Takazo was also given three years probation when he is released from jail. Mahar also imposed a lifetime firearms prohibition.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Takazo's mother called RCMP on Jan. 15 of this year after learning he had expressed a desire to commit suicide.

Two RCMP officers – a male and a female – located him in a shed in the community, armed with a rifle.

Officers followed Takazo as he left the shed and was waving the firearm wildly and pointing it at police. Takazo eventually knelt down, put the barrel of the firearm to his throat and claimed that he intended to kill himself.

A man from the community then tackled Takazo. It turned out that his weapon was not loaded.

Takazo had been prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm after he was found guilty of several firearm-related offences in Norman Wells in July 2008.

That followed another tense standoff between Takazo and RCMP, in that time in Norman Wells.

RCMP Cpl. Donna Rorison was credited with diffusing that situation by talking Takazo into surrendering after more than 36 hours of negotiations.

Takazo's sentence amounts to eight months and eight days after Mahar gave him almost ten months credit for the 165 days he spent in pre-trial custody.