P.E.I. drug dealer gets 33-month jail sentence

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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. drug vendor who threw luggage of cocaine and methamphetamine out of his car’s window whereas being pursued by police in a residential space has been sentenced for a number of drug and driving offences.

Earl Rodger Gauthier, 72, appeared in court docket by video from the Provincial Correctional Centre on Oct. 3 for sentencing. Gauthier beforehand pleaded responsible in provincial court docket in Charlottetown to 2 costs of cocaine possession for trafficking functions, two costs of methamphetamine possession for trafficking functions, flight from police and harmful driving.

First drug arrest

Federal Crown lawyer Jacob Zelman advised the court docket that in January, Charlottetown police started an investigation after receiving data from a supply that Gauthier was dealing medicine. On Jan. 24 at 5:57 p.m., Charlottetown police arrested Gauthier driving a Ford Explorer within the KFC car parking zone on St. Peters Highway for suspected cocaine trafficking.

Police discovered within the car 54 grams of hashish, three throwing knives and money. A search of Gauthier’s Route 6 residence turned up 50 methamphetamine tablets, 35.5 grams of cocaine and an imitation Glock airsoft pistol. The cocaine was divided up into quite a few small luggage.

Gauthier was launched from custody on the circumstances that he attend court docket and report back to Charlottetown police each Friday.

Second drug arrest

Shortly after, police obtained extra data from a supply that Gauthier was nonetheless promoting medicine and positioned a monitoring machine on one other car he owned – a black Dodge Ram. On Feb. 10, Charlottetown police pulled over Gauthier within the Dodge Ram on Fitzroy Avenue. Gauthier was advised he was below arrest and was requested to get out of the car. As an alternative, Gauthier drove away, turned proper onto Prince Avenue and sped in direction of Allen Avenue. Charlottetown police adopted and ultimately pulled in entrance of his car and arrested him on Allen Avenue. Police additionally recovered plastic luggage containing 219 methamphetamine tablets and 76.78 grams of cocaine that Gauthier threw out the car’s window whereas being pursued. Gauthier’s fingerprints had been on each luggage. Police additionally discovered rating sheets and messages on Gauthier’s cellphone according to drug trafficking.

‘Simply to pay the payments’

Zelman really useful a complete of 31 to 33 months in jail for the 4 drug offences. Crown lawyer Emily Campbell really useful 30 days every (concurrent) for the 2 driving offences added on to the drug sentence.

Gauthier’s prison report features a drug trafficking conviction from 1996 and different drug offences.

In statements to police, Gauthier mentioned that he wasn’t a drug consumer and bought medicine “simply to pay the payments” and “for one thing to do,” mentioned Zelman.  

Serving to pals with higher drug costs

Gauthier’s lawyer Peter Ghiz really useful a conditional sentence of two years much less a day for all the offences. Along with feedback made to police, Gauthier bought medicine to his pals so they would not be taken benefit of by giving them a greater value than elsewhere, mentioned Ghiz. Additionally, when police arrested Gauthier on Feb. 10, he was on his strategy to unload his remaining stock so he may give up drug dealing.

Chief Choose Jeff Lantz rejected Ghiz’s request for a conditional sentence. Lantz famous that although different drug offenders have just lately obtained a conditional sentence, Gauthier’s issues and circumstances had been completely different. Lantz additionally mentioned there was a public security concern about Gauthier serving his sentence in the neighborhood since he continued promoting medicine after the primary arrest and whereas launched from custody. 

33-month jail sentence

Lantz sentenced Gauthier to 14 months concurrent for every Jan. 24 drug offence, 18 months concurrent for every Feb. 10 drug offence and 30 days for the driving offences totalling 33 months in jail. Gauthier was additionally sentenced to 2 years of probation, a 10-year weapons ban and an 18-month driving prohibition, plus the time in jail.

Gauthier had been in pre-sentence custody for 234 days since Feb. 11. Lantz recalled warning Gauthier months earlier about his efforts to discover a lawyer and the affect delays may have on him receiving enhanced credit score (1.5 days for every day) for time in custody. Consequently, Lantz gave Gauthier 300 days (or 10 months) of enhanced credit score quite than the 351 days he would have usually obtained.

Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by e mail at [email protected] and may be adopted on X @terry_mcn.