Blood Reserve man sentenced to jail on drug offences

A Blood Reserve man has been sent to jail for three drug-related offences, including an offence under the Drug Endangered Children Act.

Police arrested Fernando Morning Owl March 17 after searching his home in Standoff, where they found an unspecified amount of fentanyl pills. They also realized a child was in the home, and Morning Owl was charged with a single count of causing a child to be drug-endangered, as well as one count of drug possession.

Morning Owl pleaded guilty Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to both charges and was sentenced to seven days in jail on each, to be served concurrently. He also pleaded guilty to one count of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking relating to a police bust in Lethbridge last January when he was caught with fentanyl and evidence of trafficking.

He was sentenced to nine months in jail, to run concurrently with the seven days, and placed on probation for nine months, during which he must receive counselling and treatment for substance abuse, life skills and parenting, and not be in the presence of children unless with a responsible adult. He is also prohibited from possessing certain firearms and weapons for 10 years, and others for life.

Additional charges of possession of stolen property and failure to comply with release conditions were withdrawn, and a single charge of mischief was adjourned to Nov. 29.

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