A former associate of former attacker Frédéric Silva who allegedly manufactured silencers and weapons, and whose police found evidence throughout the house, was sentenced to seven years in prison in Montreal on Monday.
In practice, however, the sentence will not have a direct impact on Giovanni Presta, as it coincides with the life sentence he has been serving since December for the murder of Sébastien Beauchamp, without parole for 25 years. Confirmed in 2018.
On the day of Frédéric Silva’s arrest, two years later, in February 2019, investigators from the Organized Crime Unit of the Service de Police de la Ville de Montreal (SPVM) searched Presta’s home in Terrebonne.
Gun frames, magazines, stocks, barrels, mechanical silencers, 3D printer, documents used to manufacture guns and silencers, banned weapons and ammunition were all strewn around the house.
They found this arsenal either in pieces or on the wooden bench of the back terrace, in the cupboard next to the fridge and stove in the kitchen and throughout the office, storage room, storage room and basement bathroom.
In this last room, in a hole in the wall hidden by a medicine cabinet that had been unscrewed and fixed several times, the police reportedly found five functional handguns, some of them a loaded, serial-numbered semi-automatic weapon. Magazines, silencer, gun and ammunition were destroyed.
Behind the closet is an armory
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Photo filed with the court
While searching the home, investigators noticed that the medicine cabinet in the bathroom was not securely attached to the wall. Unraveled and found this.
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Photo filed with the court
These guns were stacked like this when the police found an opening in the bathroom wall.
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Photo filed with the court
A semi-automatic weapon found on the wall
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Photo filed with the court
A pistol with a silencer was found in the same hideout
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Photo filed with the court
Giovanni Presta admitted to making silencers.
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The hunters found several hunting weapons in a locker in the basement, but all were legal.
A brass knuckle was also found on a roof.
Blocked inquiry
Presta faced eight counts, but he admitted the facts (Nolo Contestant) two of which are: unlicensed possession of prohibited or prohibited firearms and manufacture of prohibited firearms and devices.
Press photo
John Presta
Prasta pleaded not guilty to retain his right to appeal in the Sébastien Beauchamp murder case.
Other counts he faced, filed against his wife, were dropped.
Advocate, Mr.e Nathalie Kleber, and Defense, presented by Me Dominique Schoofe argued that this general recommendation could specifically avoid holding a trial where 20 witnesses would have been heard and fifty exhibits filed.
To reach Daniel Renaud, 514 285-7000, ext. Dial 4918, write to [email protected] or mail to Pres.
