BATTLEFORD – A 28-year-old Edam man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Ryan Gatzke's death was sentenced Thursday in Battleford Court of King's Bench to eight years in prison.
With credit for 1,134 days he served while on remand, Jacob Ballantyne has 1,221 days left to serve, or three-and-a-half years. Justice Daryl Labach also banned Ballantyne from owning weapons for life and ordered him to provide his DNA to the National DNA Data Bank.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Jennifer Schmidt and defence counsel Tim Nolin had entered a joint sentencing submission to the court last week.
There is a ban on publication until all four accused have been sentenced.
In April, a trial was held for a young offender charged with second-degree murder. Following his trial, Justice Heather MacMillan-Brown found the youth guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter, break and enter, and possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order. In October, Schmidt will argue before the court to have the youth sentenced as an adult instead of a young offender. He can’t be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
In February 2022, Charles Lewis McLean pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. In February, Isaac Melko pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 12-years in prison.
RCMP found Gatzke in his home in the 100 block of 26 Street West in Battleford on Oct. 18, 2019. He was badly injured and taken to the North Battleford hospital by EMS where he was later declared deceased.
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