Heroin, fentanyl, cocaine found at ‘drug house,’ cop says

The primary investigator in the raid of a Penticton woman’s home testified this week drugs, scales and cash were found at the location.

Jennifer Montgomery, 31, is facing one charge of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and two counts of simple possession of heroin and methamphetamine.

Her trial began Wednesday in B.C. Supreme Court in Penticton.

Const. Chad Jackson was the lead investigator on the June 22, 2016, execution of a search warrant of Montgomery’s home.

On the stand Friday, he described the items found in Montgomery’s townhouse including 5.92 grams of methamphetamine, pills containing cocaine and caffeine, two bags of heroin totaling 0.26 grams, a “drug score sheet” with names, numbers and amounts owed; a digital scale, and $1,500 cash.

Many of the items, Jackson told the court, were in a safe found in the middle of Montgomery’s bed, or in a blue case underneath the bed.

Montgomery’s defence counsel, Michael Patterson, questioned what ties his client had to the cash, drugs and the phone found during the sweep of the house.

Patterson asked if the items could have belonged to Ryan Luscombe, found holding a samurai sword at the time of the police search.

“Would you agree that any one of the items that you found in the master bedroom because you didn’t verify ownership, could be owned by Mr. Luscombe as well?” Patterson asked. “No, I do not agree with you,” Jackson replied. Patterson asked how Jackson knew that Luscombe was not the owner of the safe found in the bed.

“Ms. Montgomery’s child’s community centre card being in the safe was a good indication,” Jackson said.

On top of that, Jackson said the text messages discovered on the phone of a woman arrested while leaving Montgomery’s house were consistent with drug trafficking, a home he knew Montgomery was the owner of.

Jackson also tied the cash to Montgomery. He said she had asked for the release of the money sometime after her release from custody, and Montgomery had said it was cash needed for a mortgage payment.

Crown is expecting to call three more witnesses, pushing the trial past the initial three-day estimate.

It was unclear Friday when the trial will be scheduled to continue.