A 39-year-old Edmonton man with a history of violent and sexual offences has been sentenced to three years in prison after being caught with a loaded, homemade 3D-printed handgun while fleeing from police.
Guilty plea leads to three-year sentence
Darrell Gauthier was sentenced on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after pleading guilty to four charges. The charges stemmed from his arrest on August 12, 2024, and included obstructing a peace officer, breaching a recognizance, and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
The Crown prosecutor, Wendy Ekert, and defence lawyer Skyler Johnson presented a joint submission for the three-year term to the court. Ekert highlighted several aggravating factors, noting that Gauthier was in possession of the illegal handgun while on release from a prior sentence and was subject to a court-ordered weapons ban at the time.
A foot chase ends with a taser and a homemade gun
The incident began around 7 p.m. near Castledowns Bingo, where Gauthier was involved in a disagreement with a group. After a witness called police, officers arrived on the scene. Gauthier immediately grabbed his backpack and skateboard and walked away. When police attempted to engage him, he fled on foot.
Gauthier attempted to escape through a fence opening and then tried to ride his skateboard, but he hit a gravel patch. As he continued to run, he reached into his pocket, prompting officers to order him to stop. When he failed to comply, police deployed a taser three times to subdue him.
Upon his arrest, officers discovered a loaded, homemade .22-calibre pistol in his pocket. The weapon, which was approximately 15 centimetres long with a 1.5-centimetre barrel, had been manufactured using a 3D printer. Police also seized a small knife and a bag of a substance believed to be methamphetamine.
A history of violence and a public warning
The court heard that Gauthier's "very significant" criminal record was a major factor in the sentencing. At the time of his arrest, he was on release from a five-year sentence for sexual contact with a child.
In fact, Edmonton Police Service (EPS) had issued a public warning about Gauthier on June 22, 2024. The police statement described him as a "convicted violent sexual offender" and stated there were grounds to believe he posed a risk of reoffending. His prior convictions included sexually victimizing an adolescent female and assaulting security officers and other victims with weapons.
Gauthier was under the monitoring of the police Behavioral Assessment Unit, which tracks the city's highest-risk offenders, while he was on release.
Speaking to the court via video link from the Edmonton Remand Centre, Gauthier stated he had no intention of harming anyone on the day of his arrest. "I was in the process of bettering my life at that point," he said. "I was trying to move forward and have a better life."
The three-year sentence reflects the serious nature of possessing an illicit, untraceable firearm, especially by an individual with a documented history of violence and while under court-ordered conditions.
