Drug dealer's changes earn mercy

Richard Craig conquered much hardship in childhood, from sleeping in stairwells and parks to escape abuse at home to wondering where he'd get his next meal.

He worried about who would take care of him, fended mostly for himself and struggled to read and write.

He always feared having nothing, and it made him strive for more — and, as an adult, he never wanted his family to go without.

So Craig, with no prior criminal record, took to fast money and started dealing some of the purest cocaine Smiths Falls has ever seen — 95 per cent. He became a trusted member of a drug network, but the so-called easy money came to an end in 2016 when he was arrested for trafficking.

On Wednesday, Craig, 38, was sentenced to prison for three years and nine months for his street-level role in a Hells Angels drug network, quarterbacked by the late David (Hollywood) Bullen.

Ontario Court Justice Mitch Hoffman described Craig as a transformed man who has expressed deep, genuine remorse.

Craig used to justify his cocaine business by saying, “I'm only dealing with business-class people,” and that, “if it wasn't me, it would be someone else,” according to an interview in his pre-sentence report.

The judge warned: “For those people looking to replace Craig, there will be a steep price to pay,” Hoffman told Ottawa court.

The judge said cocaine was a wicked drug with tragic consequences that “rip at the fabric of peoples' lives.”

Craig has turned his life around and now makes a successful, honest living.

The judge said if not for Craig's “dramatic transformation” since his arrest and “deprived childhood,” he would have delivered a “harsher sentence.”

While Craig was sentenced to prison Wednesday afternoon, defence lawyer Kirstin Macrae secured his bail just two hours and 20 minutes later, pending appeal.

Macrae told the Citizen: “The strides taken by Mr. Craig to rehabilitate himself, given his unfortunate background, are nothing short of amazing. In my years of practice, I have never witnessed this type of turnaround, and that he was able to do so much while on house arrest is truly remarkable. I hope that he gets early parole so that all that he has accomplished is not undone.”

The last time Craig was in jail, before he got bail, he was beaten and stabbed in a five-on-one attack.

His former drug associates felt betrayed when he stopped dealing after his arrest, court heard.

Craig, who bought by the quarter-kilo and sold by the ounce, expressed remorse for the lives he helped ruin.

He has since restored his reputation and given back to his community, court heard.

Craig has also offered his company's services for free to schools and community organizations.

“Maybe because I've done so much bad, I feel I have to make up for it,” he said in an interview for his pre-sentence report.

The judge acknowledged Craig's insight into his crimes, and noted his troubled childhood, but also noted: “You must pay the price for your decision.”

The judge continued, saying, “I hope you continue to better yourself and continue to be the asset that you are to your community and family.”

The OPP police informant in the 2016 case, Chris Tessier, bragged to his handlers that he was raking in $3 million a year dealing cocaine and “living like a rock star.” Tessier, now in witness protection, was also paid $600,000 for his co-operation in taking down the interprovincial cocaine ring. Part of the payout to the informant, a highstakes gambler, included $350,000 for his six days of testimony.

Craig remains on bail awaiting an appeal by appeal specialist Howard Krongold.