A known street gang member has pleaded guilty to weapons and drug related charges in Prince Albert Provincial Court.
Cameron Alexander Morin, 26, changed his not guilty plea to guilty on July 26.
In 2014 Morin was sentenced to 42 months after a woman was shot when she answered her door in Prince Albert. Morin didn’t pull the trigger but admitted to being responsible for the shooting being carried out.
Morin was recruited into the Terror Squad street gang after going to Saskatchewan Penitentiary and was a part of the December 2016 riot at the medium security unit, which involved approximately 185 inmates. Morin was moved to the maximum-security unit after the riot, according to court documents.
After being released from prison, Morin tried leaving the street gang but they found him, kidnapped, beat and tortured him. They cut off his index finger. He also received serious head injuries, which resulted in cognitive issues. No one was ever charged for the brutal assault against Morin.
In November 2019 Morin was sentenced to 18 months for weapons offences and given a lifetime firearms prohibition. Judge F. M. Daunt, when sentencing Morin asked, “What path led Cameron Morin to be before this court?
Colonialism ultimately led Morin to come before court
“Because of colonialism, community disruption, racism, and residential schools, indigenous communities have long suffered from substance abuse and family and community breakdowns,” said Judge Daunt.
“For over 160 years, residential schools broke the intergenerational chain of parenting, devastating indigenous communities. By the time Cameron Morin was born in 1994, it is not surprising that his parents created a home full of substance abuse and domestic violence, a home soon broken by separation and a parent’s death. Because of his horrendous childhood and his mother’s death, Mr. Morin did not finish high school. Because of his lack of education, his only employment options were temporary, part-time, and for low pay. Because of his limited options, he turned to the black market to make money. Because of that choice, he received a lengthy penitentiary sentence. Because he received a penitentiary sentence at such a young age, he joined a gang to protect himself from more seasoned inmates. Because of this gang involvement, he feared violent retribution if he tried to leave. Because of this fear, he armed himself against that very real possibility.
“And here we are,” said Judge Daunt.
Morin arrested again in 2021
Morin and Kyle Crain, 29, were arrested after police raided a Prince Albert home Feb. 4. They seized drugs, cash and weapons. According to police they obtained a search warrant for a home in the 600 block of 7 Street East. When they searched the home they found a loaded shotgun, ammunition, brass knuckles, a Taser, bear spray, more than 120 grams of meth, 45 grams of crack cocaine, about eight grams of Psilocybin, and $7,000 in cash.
Crain is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. Crain appears in court next on Aug. 3 and Morin appears again on Sept. 22.
