In mid-January, a Port Alberni man was sentenced to seven years in prison on numerous charges related to possession of prohibited weapons and explosive devices.
In late March 2024, Port Alberni RCMP attended the Burde Street home of Joseph Michael Mark Walczak regarding an “open” 911 call.
Police reported that a woman could be heard screaming on the phone and a man was heard yelling “get the cops in here” and “we know she’s in there.”
Dispatch believed the situation to be a domestic assault, which gave police the authority to enter the residence to perform a welfare check.
Once inside the residence, officers discovered there was no woman who was confined, injured or in distress in the apartment, but while searching the home police found a large stockpile of firearms, ammunition and explosive substances.
Police cleared and secured the premises and obtained an official search warrant to seize the various items that had been seen in Walczak’s home.
In total, police found 19 firearms, firearms within minor adjustments, 75 magazines, over 7,500 rounds of ammunition and a homemade pipe-bomb.
Police also found extendable batons, slingshots, bows and arrows, hard and soft body armour, tactical vests, masks, grenade shells, gunpowder, instruction manuals related to the manufacture of explosive devices as well as an open box containing a large boa constrictor.
Due to conditions dating back to a robbery charge in 1999, Walczak was prohibited from possessing any firearms, ammunition or explosives.
Because of the breach of conditions and the evidence gathered by investigators, the presiding judge, Justice Robin A. Baird found Walczak guilty on all 14 counts.
Walczak has been in custody since his arrest on March 25, 2024, which had amounted to 987 days served, as of his sentencing hearing.
During the sentencing hearing, some members of Walczak’s family spoke on his behalf, sharing how loving and kind he had been to them, which had a lasting impact on Justice Baird.
Ultimately, Walczak was given a sentence of seven years for all his offences. Justice Baird also noted that the 987 days he had already served would count towards his sentence.
