A Tyendinaga man was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on Monday.
Joseph Dunkley, age 36, was charged with a long litany of offences, stemming from two separate incidents.
The first incident on April 2, 2022 involved a car accident in Belleville. A vehicle struck a pole along Dundas Street East. The driver fled on foot, and was quickly arrested. Police seized a large amount of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. A search of the vehicle also uncovered a replica handgun and a Kevlar vest, along with drug trafficking items.
Dunkley was charged at the time with failure to remain, driving while under suspension, operation while prohibited, obstructing a peace officer, four counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order, transporting a firearm or weapon in a careless manner, three counts of possession of a schedule 1 substance, and possession of property obtained by crime.
More recently, on April 2, 2024, Dunkley was arrested after the execution of a search warrant by L&A OPP. The Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement squad visited his residence in an attempt to locate him after a tamper alarm was tripped on his ankle monitor and it had gone offline. Dunkley fled the area while carrying a machete. He was arrested after a brief pursuit without incident.
After this incident, he was additionally charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm, knowledge of unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, five counts of failure to comply with a release order, mischief under $5000, seven counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to a probation order, possession of a firearm knowing the serial number had been tampered with.
Dunkley had previously plead guilty to the charges from the original incident in Belleville, and plead guilty to the charges from the second incident before sentencing.
After considering his case, Justice Bonn sentenced him to 54 months, or four-and-a-half years, in prison.
This sentence accounts for time served awaiting trial, and also includes a lifetime ban on owning weapons.
