Pubdate: Tue, 20 Mar 2007
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2007 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Mike McIntyre

EX-BANDIDOS ASSOCIATE REWARDED FOR SNITCHING

A former Bandidos associate who snitched on fellow members during a  
recent high-profile gang trial was rewarded for his work Monday with  
a reduced sentence and ticket to a new life.

Jason Michel, 25, admitted to being one of several men involved in  
the February 2005 kidnapping and torture of a rival drug dealer.

But he agreed to provide key evidence for the Crown against his co- 
accused in exchange for a joint-recommendation of time served in  
custody of just over two years.

Five men were convicted earlier this month and the Crown is now  
expected to seek up to 12 years custody for their roles.

Queen's Bench Justice Holly Beard endorsed the plea bargain, which  
now allows Michel to be relocated under the federal witness  
protection program.

"The conviction of the other accused was unlikely without his co- 
operation," said Beard. However, the judge warned Michel's actions  
come with a steep price.

"This really is like a life sentence," she said. Michel will likely  
always be "looking over his shoulder" because of his deal and would  
become an instant target should he ever find himself back behind bars.

"If you are ever back in jail, you'll be like bait," said Beard.

Michel told jurors how the Bandidos committed a disturbing attack on  
a 20-year-old man that wasn't for the faint of heart.

The victim owed money to the gang as part of an outstanding drug debt  
and was lured to an inner-city residence by a so-called "friend" who  
had been told of the pending attack by the accused.

Michel told court the man and his girlfriend were run off the road  
and dragged from their vehicles into a nearby home by his co-accused.

They were separated and held in different parts of the house for  
several hours, with the man being severely beaten and forced to turn  
over money, he said. His injuries included fingers crushed with a  
sledgehammer and having a tattoo forcibly removed with a knife.

"The events leading to this charge were horrendous," Beard said Monday.

"We don't expect this kind of behaviour in a civilized country like  
Canada."

Michel told jurors he was serving as president of "La Familia" --  
which he described as a "support" group for the local Bandidos  
chapter -- at the time of the abduction. La Familia's job basically  
involved selling cocaine on behalf of the Bandidos, he said.
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