Jacob Ballantyne. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

RCMP investigation

Ballantyne sentenced to eight years for manslaughter in Gatzke case

Jun 22, 2023 | 1:00 PM

One of the people facing charges in the death of Ryan John Gatzke in Battleford in 2019 was sentenced to eight years in prison in the Court of King’s Bench in Battleford Thursday, after previously pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Jacob Joseph Ballantyne, 28, of Edam, was originally charged with second-degree murder in the case. He instead pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on June 12.

Prosecutors Kofi Nkrumah-Young and Jennifer Schmidt represented the Crown, and lawyer Timothy Nolin acted as defence counsel in the case, with Justice Daryl Labach presiding.

Labach sentenced Ballantyne to eight years in a federal prison. The offender has already served 1,134. days in custody. When factoring in credit for time served, he has 1,221 days left to serve, or about three years and four months. Ballantyne was also ordered to provide a DNA sample, and received a lifetime firearms prohibition.

The remaining charges, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carry a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, pointing a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and possession of a restricted firearm while prohibited, were stayed.

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The court ordered a publication ban on the details of the case until all the accused individuals have gone through the court process.

Among the co-accused, Charles Michael Lewis McLean, 25, of North Battleford, was previously sentenced to four years in custody, after pleading guilty to manslaughter last year.

Isaac Melko, 25, of North Battleford, received a sentence of 12 years in custody, after pleading guilty to manslaughter in February of 2023.

An 18-year-old male North Battleford resident, who was 17 years old at the time of incident and cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, facing a charge of second degree murder, had a judge-alone trial in April of 2023. The youth was instead found guilty of manslaughter in May. Justice Heather MacMillan-Brown reserved the sentencing decision to Oct. 20.

Police previously reported, Gatzke, 27, was found with serious injuries in a Battleford home on Oct. 18, 2019, and later declared deceased after being taken to hospital.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow