A Moosomin First Nation man has been convicted of marijuana possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Wilfred Starr, 46, was found guilty Tuesday after a two-day trial in provincial court in North Battleford before Judge Dan O'Hanlon. He was convicted under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, as well as under the Criminal Code for possession of property obtained by crime under s. 354(1)(a).
The case has now been adjourned to January 19 of next year for sentencing.
Starr's charges were among several laid against a number of family members following a search conducted on a trailer home on Moosomin First Nation on October 23 of last year. The RCMP had conducted surveillance on that property on ten occasions over the course of a year and noticed several suspicious incidences of people coming and going from the residence.
Two vehicles seen leaving that residence on October 22 were stopped by the RCMP and according to testimony in court this week, marijuana was found in both vehicles. Based on that information, a search warrant was subsequently executed on the property and the search turned up several grams of marijuana. According to testimony in court this week, at least 41 grams of marijuana were found individually wrapped in tinfoil, while several grams of loose quantities were also discovered.
Prosecutor Michel Thibault made the case that the individually-wrapped quantities of marijuana found were consistent with trafficking activity, arguing that marijuana for personal use would not normally be wrapped up in tinfoil.
Evidence was presented in court Tuesday from the RCMP that fingerprints of Starr were discovered on 22 pieces of tinfoil at the residence.
Among the Crown witnesses during the trial was Cordell Charles, who had previously served nine months on a conditional sentence order after pleading guilty to marijuana possession and mischief charges. During his testimony this week, Charles pointed the finger at Starr as the man responsible for the sales operation.
He had given a statement to police alleging Starr enlisted himself and others at the residence to do the selling, and that Starr profited from the sales.
Defence lawyer Marilyn Adsit had argued in her closing summation that there was no conclusive evidence the marijuana was used for the purpose of trafficking, and that there was no indication that the marijuana found by police in the two vehicles leaving the residence came from there.
Two others charged in the case entered guilty pleas and were sentenced on Monday. Deltyon Frenchman received eight months time-served on three charges of possession, breach and obstruction. Marjorie Starr was sentenced to a three month conditional sentence for possession. Two others, Cody Mooswa and Colin Starr, saw all charges dropped against them.
