The sentences of three Coutts protesters against the border blockade will be announced in 2025

Three men convicted in 2022 of helping lead and coordinate the border blockade near Coutts, Alta., will be sentenced next year.

In April, a jury found Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos and Gerhard (George) Janzen guilty of one count each of mischief over $5,000.

The sentencing was originally scheduled for the end of September, but has been rescheduled for January 9 and 10 in Lethbridge Court of King’s Bench to give Van Huigenbos time to find a new lawyer.

The three were charged for their role in a blockade that halted cross-border traffic between Canada and the United States at Coutts for two weeks in protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

The Crown said the evidence showed the men were key figures and became faces of the blockade.

The maximum penalty for public misconduct over $5,000 is 10 years in prison.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.