Farmers Forum staff
OTTAWA — In an apparent plea deal, Carp-area beef farmer Ronald Greene, 71, was finally released from jail on Oct. 3 — after 130 days in a cramped jail cell following his arrest for not being licensed to legally own his old .22 rifle and for allegedly uttering threats.
A friend of Greene’s, who was in court, told Farmers Forum that the farmer was released after an Oct. 3 trial in which Greene pleaded guilty to the rifle-related charges. The crown dropped the charge of uttering threats. The trial lasted fewer than 30 minutes. For the rifle offence, the judge additionally placed Greene on probation for numerous months and ordered him not to visit his own farm unless accompanied by his sister.
Farmers Forum continues to investigate the full details.
Police raided Greene’s farm on May 27 in response to an individual’s report of overhearing the farmer allegedly utter threats against other individuals. It was during the raid that officers turned up Greene’s old .22 rifle in a vehicle at the farm. Greene told Farmers Forum that he purchased the rifle in the mid-1970s. A licence to own the gun was not required at the time.
Greene’s arrest came four days after the stress of seeing provincial animal welfare police (PAWS) show up at his farm to round up dozens of cattle, but those authorities quickly relinquished the animals when they turned out to be healthy and technically owned by somebody else. Greene was not charged with any animal welfare-related offences.
Six of the crew on horseback (including two obscured behind trees at left and right) participate in the roundup at the beef farm of Ronald Greene, in this screen grab from a video taken by neighbour Colby Flewellyn.
Ronald Greene’s home near Carp, Ont.
