Selling drugs lands Hatter in jail for three years
Trial continuation moved
A Medicine Hat man was given a total of three years jail time during a sentencing Thursday over drug trafficking charges.
Kalem Robert Johnson pled guilty to three counts of trafficking a controlled substance, stemming from three separate incidents in July 2016 where he sold drugs to an undercover officer.
Two separate purchases were made for methamphetamine in the amounts of 2.19 grams and 1.8 grams. A third purchase was for 1.5 grams of cocaine.
Johnson also pled guilty to two breaches and one count of obstructing a police officer.
Brief adjournment
A brief adjournment to Feb. 6 was granted Thursday for a woman charged with cocaine trafficking and in what police say is the largest meth bust on record.
Shonna Scriven, 47, appeared by closed-circuit TV from the Medicine Hat Remand Centre for the quick court appearance, with her counsel saying they are in the process of preparing to seek bail.
Scriven was originally granted release on $5,000 cash bail after being arrested on Dec. 8, 2017 when police initiated a planned vehicle stop of the car she was driving just inside city limits on Highway 3. Police seized 1.02 kilograms of methamphetamine and 226 grams of cocaine, worth an estimated $125,000.
She was taken back into custody after police wrapped up investigation into a “dial-a-dope” operation for cocaine trafficking that allegedly occurred between Dec. 2 and 5, and she was charged with five new counts of trafficking.
The continuation of a trial originally scheduled for today has been moved back to Feb. 20, for a Cypress County man accused of impaired driving in December 2015, leading to a head-on collision sending multiple people to hospital, including a newborn.
Counsel for Curtis Beisel appeared in court Thursday to set the new date down.
Testimony from Crown witnesses occurred on dates in December and January, with the upcoming trial date expected to include testimony from defence witnesses and final arguments.
Trafficking
One of 11 people arrested in June from police attempts to disrupt street-level drug dealing had a brief court appearance Thursday, with an adjournment to Feb. 27.
Defence counsel for Jay Brodie requested the adjournment, telling the court they need to go over a resolution proposal from Crown. Brodie is charged with trafficking meth, possessing proceeds of crime, possessing stolen property, possessing a dangerous weapon and two probation breaches.
A 28-year-old woman who was arrested by police following a similar investigation that took place throughout September also had a brief appearance Thursday, with defence requesting an adjournment to Feb. 8, as possible resolutions are being exchanged.
Haley Glentworth is charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine, possession for the purpose of trafficking heroin and proceeds of crime.