A judge has sentenced a man, who was found guilty of 20 counts of possessing identity documents and counterfeit money, to jail time.
Harvir Singh Dosanjh, 46, originally pleaded not guilty, and a trial was held earlier this year.
The charges include dealing with identity documents without a lawful excuse, possession of counterfeit money, possession or use of a stolen credit card and trafficking or being in possession for the purpose of trafficking of identity information.
All the charges stem back to February 2022.
Crown prosecutor John Ham noted Dosanjh was found guilty on all 20 charges after a trial.
Ham said the most serious charge was possession of counterfeit money.
Citing case law, Ham said “courts have taken judicial notice of the fact that the arrival of higher quality computers and printers and the number of counterfeit notes passed annually in Canada have increased significantly.”
The Bank of Canada has said it’s “critical to maintain confidence in the Canadian currency,” Ham added.
“Widespread counterfeiting has the potential to significantly impact the Canadian economy,” he said. “Businesses operating on narrow margins like grocery stores stand to lose significantly when counterfeiting notes are passed, and, ultimately, the consumer will pay higher costs as a result.”
Dosanjh was caught with 15 counterfeit $20 bills.
Ham, asking for 180 days in jail, said Dosanjh didn't show any remorse and denied all allegations. However, Ham added, there was "no evidence" to show he had a counterfeiting operation.
Dosanjh’s defence lawyer, Eric Warren, argued that there wasn’t an “iota” of evidence to show he was dealing or trafficking in stolen cards or counterfeit money, and he had no previous record of such crimes.
He said Dosanjh went to someone’s house who “suggested” he take a bag.
“He did — or should have known — that it likely contained such items that were either stolen or illegal to possess in some other way,” Warren told the judge during the sentencing hearing.
The Crown asked for six months, while Dosanjh's defence lawyer said the time already served in custody should be enough of a sentence.
In the end, Justice Glenn Lee sentenced Dosanjh on Aug. 5 to 140 days in jail for the 20 counts.
On a separate issue, Lee gave Dosanjh 14 days for breaching his curfew on June 23, 2025.
Dosanjh got 90 days credit for time already served and will spend 64 more days in jail.
He will be on probation for 12 months after being released.
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