MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM — Friends and family of Merlyn Hodgson sniffled and wiped away tears as a provincial court judge sentenced him to three years in a federal jail for trafficking the “pernicious” drug of fentanyl.
Hodgson, 67, appeared in Moose Jaw Provincial Court on Oct. 19, where he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of fentanyl for trafficking. As part of a joint submission, he will spend the next 36 months in a federal penitentiary, must provide a DNA sample and is prohibited for life from owning or possessing firearms or weapons.
Throughout 2022 and early 2023, Moose Jaw police received information that Hodgson was trafficking fentanyl, so in February, they opened an investigation, federal Crown prosecutor Suzanne Young said while reading the facts.
Officers acquired a warrant to track Hodgson’s movements, and during one surveillance activity, they followed him to Regina on April 24 to a place he regularly frequented, she continued. Police there confirmed that that location was known for drug trafficking.
Moose Jaw police followed Hodgson’s vehicle back to The Friendly City before stopping it and arresting everyone inside, including his girlfriend, Jennifer Shirtliffe.
“Mr. Hodgson was co-operative with the police throughout and took personal responsibility for the offence immediately,” said Young.
The man pointed police to the fentanyl’s location in the vehicle, with officers locating 14.9 grams. Hodgson told them he planned to give some to his girlfriend and sell the rest.
Police searched Hodgson’s house on Stadacona Street West on April 25 and found several items, including a scale, numerous drug baggies, a notebook, 90 15-milligram morphine tablets in a safe under a bed, seven cellphones and a stolen towing motor.
Young was unable to give the exact street value of the drugs found but estimated it was between $1,050 and $8,400. Meanwhile, she pointed out that Hodgson has an “extensive” criminal record, with significant offences in 2012 and 2018. His crimes from the latter year netted him 30 months in a federal jail.
While Hodgson took responsibility during his encounter with police and agreed to plead guilty, the situation’s circumstances are serious because the substance is fentanyl, dealers traffic it often in Moose Jaw, and it has caused deaths, she continued.
The court takes fentanyl trafficking “very seriously,” which is why the Crown recommended three years in federal prison — a step up from his 2018 sentence, Young said, adding she hoped this would be his last encounter with the court system.
Legal Aid lawyer Suzanne Jeanson told Judge Brian Hendrickson that Hodgson is retired and relies on his pension to survive. However, he is divorced, so part of his pension supports his ex-wife and children.
Hodgson started dating Shirtliffe two years ago and has become her caregiver because she has physical challenges, Jeanson continued. It took a while for the sentencing to happen because he needed to find someone to look after her; his daughter has agreed to help.
Hodgson “deeply regrets” the fact officers also charged Shirtliffe and a family member when they pulled over the vehicle and informed police they had nothing to do with the trafficking and allegedly didn’t know he was doing it, the defence lawyer said.
Jeanson noted that Hodgson’s two convictions in 2018 did not involve fentanyl but still revolved around drugs. Moreover, his actions then included a more “commercial element” than this one.
Judge Hendrickson accepted the joint submission and agreed to waive the victim surcharge. He said it was “never a pleasant day” when he jailed someone since it also affected family members.
“Fentanyl is a pernicious drug,” he added. “Unfortunately, in this community and others in Saskatchewan, fentanyl is readily accessible and is a scourge … .”
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