Three men have been sentenced to jail over an aggravated burglary at a cannabis crop house in Truganina last year.
Zdravko Rajic, 38, Tyson Folino, 29, and Stephen Spiteri, 26, each pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court to charges relating to the burglary on February 12, 2016.
The court heard that a hydroponic cannabis crop was being cultivated in the Truganina house, and there was an alleged crop sitter present, when Rajic, Folino and Spiteri entered the house in February last year.
Police were called to the scene by a neighbour. When police arrived, Spiteri pointed a loaded nine-millimetre semi-automatic handgun at one of the officers before throwing it on the ground.
He was tackled and handcuffed. Rajic and Folino fled and were arrested a short time later.
The court heard after being released on bail, Folino attended a house in Brougham Avenue, Wyndham Vale on February 17 in a stolen vehicle.
County Court Judge Sandra Davis said Folino carried a gun, which was not loaded, into the house where there was “a sophisticated hydroponic cannabis set up in almost every room”.
When two police arrived shortly afterwards, Folino “waved a small silver handgun” at the officers as he left the building.
He ran away but was found later that morning, hiding in the roof of a nearby house.
Folino also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, possessing a firearm whilst prohibited, possessing a general category handgun which was unregistered and assaulting a police officer in the due execution of duty in relation to the Wyndham Vale incident.
Folino was sentenced to a total sentence of seven years and six months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of five years.
Judge Davis sentenced Spiteri to a total sentence of six years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years.
Rajic was sentenced to four years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years. He was also fined $1000 for contravening a community corrections order.
