A Vernon drug dealer will serve 18 months in jail and a year on probation.
In a decision released this week, BC Supreme Court Justice Barbara Norell said the gravity of trafficking fentanyl is high and warrants jail time rather than a conditional sentence.
Michael Trehearne was found guilty last year of possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking. His sentencing was delayed, however, after he failed to attend.
He was apprehended in July.
Norell noted Trehearne has taken steps to rehabilitate himself, but that his failure to attend court on two occasions "indicate the frailties of his plans and the lack of support that he has in the community."
Trehearne was arrested on March 3, 2020, and found to be in possession of $750 cash, a cellphone, 0.1 grams of fentanyl, a notebook containing score sheets, a piece of tinfoil that had burnt residue on it, and a card to room 108 of a local motel.
A search of the motel room found numerous ripped and torn clear plastic sandwich bags in the garbage, remnants of vacuum-packed bags, 20.49 grams of fentanyl, 12.95 grams of methamphetamine, a crack pipe, $765 in cash in a wallet and $71 cash in an envelope, scales, baggies consistent with packaging for street-level drug sales, an Airsoft replica firearm, a number of edged weapons, a machete, and a taser flashlight, and two canisters of bear spray.
Trehearne admitted that he possessed the drugs for trafficking.
In January 2020, police received information that street-level sales were taking place at a home about eight blocks from the motel that was run by Trehearne under the name Mike Junior.
"The gravity of trafficking-related offences involving fentanyl is high," Norell said in her judgment. "The offences in this case took place when the dangers of fentanyl were well known. Every day in B.C., fentanyl causes fatal overdoses.... Vernon (is) not immune to this public health crisis."
The Crown had sought a sentence of three years, while defence asked for a conditional sentence of two years less a day house arrest.
Trehearne had no prior criminal record and was trafficking to support his own addiction, he testified.
The judge took into account Trehearne's traumatic upbringing, including a molestation at age eight, suicide attempts, and noted the man had started consuming alcohol at age 13 and cocaine at 16, followed by addiction to opiates.
He had tried residential treatment programs a number of times.
Trehearne is prohibited from possessing any firearm for 10 years from the date of his release and must provide a DNA sample for the national data bank.
