Owner of Oliver’s Vineyard has no criminal record for involvement in foreign worker immigration fraud and illegal possession of firearms – Penticton News

After pleading guilty to a number of charges related to immigration fraud and possession of illegal firearms, a South Okanagan vineyard owner walked out of court on Tuesday without a permanent criminal conviction and a number of hours of community service.

Randhir “Randy” Toor, co-owner of Toor Vineyards Ltd. and Desert Hills Winery in Oliver, was fined $90,0000 last week in Penticton courts on behalf of his company for his involvement in tampering with employment opportunities that led to employment fraud immigration to Canada.

Judge Gregory Koturbash delivered his judgment on Toor’s personal charges on Tuesday morning.

He faced charges related to his involvement with Can-Asia Consultants, the company behind the immigration program, between 2015 and 2018, for allowing files to be created for positions that never existed. .

Toor’s lawyer, Shelley Sugarman, had argued in favor of a conditional discharge – allowing Toor to have no criminal record at the end of his sentence if he obeys all release orders for the period he they are imposed.

Last week, Sugarman lobbied for these in part because Toor’s public loss of reputation in the community was substantial enough to keep him away from future criminal action, in his view.

Toor also faced charges relating to unregistered firearms, which were discovered during a 2018 search as part of the immigration fraud investigation. Officers found several firearms and prohibited gun barrels.

Judge Koturbash granted the parole requested by Toor’s lawyer and also ordered hours of community service.

“It’s not a form of punishment, but it’s a form of giving back to the community for your actions,” he said.

“Mr. Toor, today is the first day of the rest of your life and you have promised and assured me that you will take very positive steps to repay the community and continue your philanthropy.