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Yellowknife man charged in firearms theft appears in court

A Yellowknife man facing a slew of charges in connection with the Thanksgiving weekend theft of firearms and ammunition from a city home made a brief court appearance Wednesday.

Twenty-three-year-old Toufic Chamas, sitting in a prisoner’s booth, listened as Justice of the Peace Adelle Guigon outlined more than a dozen charges leveled against him.

Chamas was arrested on Oct. 19 after RCMP seized a handgun and ammunition from his vehicle during a traffic stop, according to a news release issued by Mounties Monday.

Brendan Burke/NNSL photo.
Toufic Chamas, 23, leaves the Yellowknife courthouse on Oct. 12 where he earned a conviction for dangerously operating a drone – a first for Canada. He now faces numerous gun charges in connection with a firearms theft from a city home.
Oct. 12, 2018.

The gun, police say, was stolen from Rivett Crescent home during a break-in between Oct. 7 and Oct. 8. Ammunition and jewelry were also stolen from the residence. In addition to the seized handgun, Mounties say they've recovered "some of the stolen firearms," through search warrants executed in an apartment complex, a storage unit and two vehicles.

RCMP continue to search for Beau Desire-Tesar, a 31-year-old Yellowknife man charged early on in connection with the same break-in.

Chamas faces seven gun charges in relation to the break-in and theft.

Chamas was convicted on Oct. 12 for flying a drone dangerously in Yellowknife in September 2017. He is set to sentenced for the offence - the first time the operation of a drone has been criminalized in Canada - Thursday.

Following Thursday’s sentencing, Chamas, who remains in custody, will be back in court on Oct. 31 for a show cause hearing in relation to the fresh firearm charges.