Windsor man pleads guilty to 11 trafficking-related charges, freed that afternoon

A Windsor man pleaded guilty to 11 charges related to firearm trafficking on Friday and was released from custody that afternoon, CTV News reports.

Curtis Elliot, 34, had already served nearly six years behind bars before he was able to deliver a plea, being first arrested in February 2016. The Ontario Superior Court assigned him credits on a "1.5 to 1 basis," allowing his time already served while under the presumption of innocence to count for 50 percent more towards his sentence.

Elliot was denied bail in a review of his detention order in May 2020, ruling that the risk of disproportionate detention was outweighed by the fact that Elliot had 19 prior convictions on the basis that he failed to abide by court orders.

Elliot was formally charged alongside nine other men in a multi-year, cross-border firearm trafficking sting known as Project Kirby. More than 100 charges were laid against the men.

Elliot, who initially faced 30 charges, was the last of the accused to see his day in court.

The charges included transfer of a firearm, possession of a weapon, and theft under $5,000.

Elliot, who initially pleaded not guilty in September 2019, is now on probation and was required to turn over a DNA sample. He also received a lifetime ban on owning weapons.

According to CTV News, Elliot's lawyer said the convicted trafficker wants to go on to "lead a productive life" and that he has "a future ahead of him."

Assistant Crown Attorney Jennifer Holmes, describing the trial as a "lengthy and complicated prosecution," thanked the Ontario Provincial Police, the Windsor Police, and the US Department of Homeland Security.