Maxwell Buchanan, a 29-year-old from Vernon, has been found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm in Polson Park, with a BC Supreme Court ruling dated May 9, 2025, affirming the conviction. Despite Buchanan’s argument that he planned to turn over the unloaded, prohibited firearm to authorities, evidence revealed inconsistencies in his claims, raising questions about his intent during the January 2023 incident.
The case unfolded after a woman reported seeing Buchanan with what appeared to be a shotgun, leading to his arrest and the discovery of a bolt-action firearm along with ammunition in his backpack. Justice Steven Wilson determined that Buchanan’s explanations lacked credibility, particularly noting contradictions between his trial testimony and earlier statements to police, ultimately resulting in guilty verdicts on two weapons charges, while he was acquitted of possessing break-in tools.
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