A former Prince George man was sentenced Tuesday to a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.
At the time of his arrest, Colin Michaud Durrand had no criminal record but he and David Shane Burlew became the subject of a investigation after RCMP received a tip the two may be dealing in drugs.
The matter came to a head on Oct. 13, 2015 when RCMP spotted Jeremy James Mole heading to Burlew's home, allegedly carrying a .38 calibre revolver, indicating they were either going to strong-arm someone or use it for protection.
The three plus one more man were then seen getting into Burlew's pickup truck. When RCMP converged on the vehicle at a local motel, they found 21 grams of methamphetamine along with packaging materials and scales in the vehicle.
Now 26 years old, Durrand had addiction issues at the time and was "enticed into the drug-dealing world," the court was told, while Burlew was considered the principal in the operation.
Ten days after his arrest, Durrand was released on bail with conditions he has lived up to ever since. Moreover, he now lives in the Okanagan where he has remained gainfully employed.
It was enough for B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jenkins to agree to a joint submission on sentencing from Crown and defence counsels. Under a suspended sentence, Durrand will be able to continue to work and live in the community, but if he ends up in trouble once again, he could end up serving the rest of his sentence in jail.
On Tuesday, Burlew also pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking. He will be sentenced once a pre-sentence report has been completed.
For Mole, a trial began Tuesday after he pleaded not guilty to five charges related to the gun.
Charges were stayed against the fourth man arrested at the scene.
