Gerard Baumgarte has been sentenced to three years in prison for the possession of an illegal weapon.

Baumgarte, 57, will serve one year consecutive and two years concurrent to the 18-year sentence he is serving for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a Penhold teen in February 2009.

Three years was the minimum sentence for this type of offence.

Baumgarte, who pleaded guilty to the weapons offence earlier this fall, was found to have a .22 calibre handgun in his possession after his arrest for kidnapping the then 16-year-old girl in 2009. The weapon was turned over to police after Baumgarte told his brother where it was.

Baumgarte’s lawyer Arnold Piragoff told the Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday that his client purchased the weapon when he was in the United States in 2006.

Piragoff added Baumgarte intended to use the weapon for target practice, but never did use it and kept it hidden in his home.

Meanwhile, Baumgarte was handed down an 18-year sentence earlier this year after pleaded guilty last year to kidnapping, using an imitation firearm, assault while using a weapon, sexual assault, confinement and impersonating a peace officer.

On Monday, court heard the .22 calibre hand gun was not used during the kidnapping.

However, he was awarded a two for one credit for time served in pretrial custody – which amounted to 24 months and 50 days – for a total sentence of 15 years, 315 days.

In February 2009, Baumgarte kidnapped a 16-year-old girl, who cannot be named because she is a minor and the victim of a sexual assault, from behind her Penhold home.

At the time, police stated, before the kidnapping, the teen left her home in Penhold on Feb. 26, 2009 at about 9:30 p.m. and drove to the local convenience store.

She was seen on surveillance video at the store making some purchases.

The vehicle she was using was returned to her residence but she did not enter the house.

Items purchased were found inside the vehicle but the teen had not been seen.

The vehicle being operated by Baumgarte at the time of the kidnapping was equipped with red and blue flashing lights similar to those used by police and he wore clothing that gave the appearance he was a peace or police officer at the time of the kidnapping.

Two days after being kidnapped, the teenager called home from Bower Place Shopping Centre.

efawcett@reddeerexpress.com