The quiet of Hunter Street in Innisfil was shattered when police uncovered an arsenal tucked away behind the doors of a local contractor, revealing a collision of cultures and consequences that would grip the community for months.
Diosdada “Sunny” Lagman, known for his work in contracting and renovations, now finds himself trading tool belts for prison garb. The 52-year-old, who spent most of his life across the border, pleaded guilty in Barrie’s courthouse to 32 separate offences related to illegal weapon possession and storage. The outcome: a seven-year sentence, the product of a joint submission between Crown and defence, after authorities raided his Innisfil residence and discovered a collection of firearms, ammunition and prohibited devices.
Lagman’s story took a sharp turn following a domestic police call more than a year before his arrest. That interaction sparked a lengthy investigation by South Simcoe police into his ties to weaponry, despite a legitimate business front. By January 2024, his firearms licence was revoked, but whispers in the community suggested he was still armed. Acting on this information, officers executed a search in March and found an array of approximately 20 firearms—ranging from high-capacity rifles to unrestricted weapons—along with ample ammunition. All required licences in Canada had long since been void.
The cache was not just personal: Court proceedings revealed that Lagman posed as both a gunsmith and a dealer, accepting weapons from legitimate owners for repair and sale, all without the required licensing. No evidence was presented linking the seized weapons to further crime, but the judge was clear about the risk. Crown attorney Melisa Montemurro emphasized Lagman’s sustained disregard for Canadian law, stating, “This was not a momentary lapse in judgment.”
Justice Robert Charney described the sentence as “lenient” given the volume of weapons, and cited Lagman’s guilty plea and community support as factors. Yet the broader issue—how a fascination with guns shaped by American norms clashed with local laws—remains unresolved. Lagman’s family remains in the U.S., where his two biological children serve as law enforcement officers, a twist not lost on observers in court.
With nearly five years left behind bars, Lagman’s case stands as a stark reminder of the differences in gun culture and the vigilance required to keep communities safe.
References:
Deported U.S. citizen jailed for stockpiling guns in Simcoe County
