NORTH BATTLEFORD – A 38-year-old Glaslyn man was sentenced in North Battleford Provincial Court Wednesday morning to 985 days for drug trafficking and weapons offences.
A trial for Christopher Daniel Ludviksen was scheduled to start May 3 but instead, federal Crown Prosecutor Tom Brannen and defence counsel Nicholas Stooshinoff entered a joint sentencing submission to the court, which Judge Michelle Baldwin accepted.
“I want to start a new chapter in my life and better myself,” Ludviksen told the court as he appeared by CCTV from Saskatoon Correctional Centre.
With 620 days credit for time served while waiting for trial, Ludviksen has 365 days left to serve. This means he will stay in a provincial correctional facility instead of going to a federal prison.
Ludviksen was arrested in March 2022 after Battlefords RCMP got a call about an unwanted person inside a home at 351 - 33 Street in Battleford. Ludviksen was found in the home. Court heard that the police investigation led the RCMP to obtaining a search warrant of a home in Glaslyn and they seized four firearms, a significant amount of cash and a small amount of suspected methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
Brannen told the court that Ludviksen had an SKS rifle that was modified. The firearm was cut, which then made the weapon prohibited due to its length. The rifle wasn’t functional because it was missing a bolt but could have been made operable by adding the missing bolt. At the time, Ludviksen was under a firearms prohibition.
The joint submission took Ludviksen’s criminal history into consideration.
“He has a significant record,” said Brannen, adding that he has two prior convictions for drug trafficking in 2017 and 2019.
Stooshinoff told the court that Ludviksen has significant Gladue factors. Following a landmark Supreme Court Ruling in R. v. Gladue in 1999, lower courts must consider Indigenous offender’s background when sentencing the offender. The factors include discrimination, physical and sexual abuse, loss of culture, separation from family, and drug and alcohol abuse.
Stooshinoff said that his client was born and raised in North Battleford to a Metis woman from Green Lake. His father was Caucasian. Ludviksen was placed in foster care. At the age of six, he along with his younger brother and sister, were subjected to long periods of sexual abuse that had a significant impact on him. He only has Grade 9, which he completed at North Battleford Comprehensive High School, and struggles with reading and writing.
“As a young person he lashed out quite a bit,” said Stooshinoff, adding that his mother had a difficult time handling him and he ended up on the street at a very young age.
His sister, who was subjected to the sexual abuse, recently committed suicide, said Stooshinoff. Since Ludviksen has been in custody, his uncle, sister, partner, and grandfather died.
“His spouse was killed by a hit and run driver when she was four months pregnant with their child,” said Stooshinoff.
Since being incarcerated, Ludviksen has taken grief and loss counselling, participated in drug and alcohol counselling, and has signed up to take Grade 10.
“His plan is to go back to school and get upgrading,” said Stooshinoff. “He wants to take training in welding and receive a journeyman’s ticket for welding.”
Ludviksen has worked in construction in North Battleford, Glaslyn, and Meadow Lake areas, said Stooshinoff.
Judge Baldwin said the joint sentencing submission was at the bottom range for the offences Ludviksen had pleaded guilty.
“Drug and firearms offences are taken very seriously by the court and often garner lengthy jail sentences,” said Judge Baldwin.
She acknowledged, however, the issues the Crown admitted there were with taking the case to trial, including circumstantial evidence and uncooperative witnesses.
Judge Baldwin banned Ludviksen from owning firearms for life and ordered that he provide his DNA to the National DNA Data Bank.
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