Alvin O’Brien Gets 14 Months After Loaded Gun Discovery During Police Chase

What started as a routine patrol in Grays Farm ended with a 24-year-old man facing more than a year in prison after his suspicious behaviour caught the attention of officers.

Alvin O’Brien’s attempt to evade police last August ultimately sealed his fate when he abandoned a bag containing an illegal 9mm pistol, ammunition, and other concerning items while fleeing from officers who recognized him from previous encounters.

The chain of events unfolded when plainclothes officers noticed O’Brien standing in an unusual spot in the middle of a street near a local shop. His decision to run upon spotting the police proved costly, the cross-body bag he dropped during his escape contained not only the loaded handgun with 13 rounds of ammunition, but also a black mask and glass-breaking tools.

Magistrate Dane Hamilton handed down a 14-month prison sentence Wednesday, a penalty that might have been significantly harsher under current law.

O’Brien benefited from timing, as his case predates recent amendments to the Firearms Act that introduced much stricter penalties for similar offenses.