Man sentenced for role in drug trafficking from city jail

Daniel Joseph Moar didn’t let the fact he was behind bars get in the way of a drug trafficking scheme involving a criminal organization and encompassing two Prairie provinces.

Using accomplices both inside and outside the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre, where he was being held at the time, Moar used jail phones to orchestrate the plan, arranging for transfer and sales of drugs that included cocaine and meth.

Unfortunately for Moar, police became wise to the plot and were able to listen to hours of recorded jail phone calls, implicating Moar and resulting in charges against him and others allegedly involved in the scheme.

Earlier this week, the self-represented 28-year-old pleaded guilty to a range of charges during an appearance at Regina provincial court — among several other charges, two counts of drug trafficking and two of conspiring with others to traffic in drugs.

Moar received a time-served sentence for a number of unrelated offences — including evading police, possession of stolen property and leaving the scene of a collision — and had some additional remand credit left over, shortening his remaining four-year sentence on the drug offences by about 4½ months.

Federal Crown agent Mariel Wellsch said members of the Regina Integrated Organized Crime Unit began, in June 2016, looking into drug trafficking activities involving Moar and others, along with an organized crime group called La Familia.

“The investigation began after an informant advised that Mr. Moar was arranging drug sales while he was in custody at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre,” Wellsch said. “He was doing so over the jail phones. The phone calls were recorded.”

Police reviewed the calls — 147 hours’ worth — made by Moar and a second prisoner allegedly involved in the scheme. Police determined Moar was “actively organizing, instructing and participating in trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine,” Wellsch told the court.

She described the conversations as “very poorly coded,” enabling police to identify several alleged participants using code names such as Ghost, Blue and Vinnie.

Two of those to whom calls were made were Edmonton-based while others lived in Regina, indicating “a network within the city of Regina, as well as essentially Western Canada, to traffic large quantities of drugs,” Wellsch said.

She said phone calls also revealed discussions about bringing drugs into the jail, with Moar talking about people turning themselves in at his direction so they could “suitcase” or secret drugs into the correctional centre.

Police intercepted one of the alleged outside participants in August with a large quantity of drugs, the transportation of which was arranged in part by Moar. Police were also able to gain access to bank accounts, tracking money brought in and transferred during the various transactions.

The phone calls continued until November 2016, Wellsch said. But, she added, when a co-accused’s house was searched in March 2017, police found score sheets and drugs indicating the organization was still ongoing, with Moar’s street name located on a number of the documents seized.

Moar apologized to the court for his actions, saying he started using drugs early in life, but has turned to religion and is working on improving his education while in custody.

“I’m just really ashamed right now ... knowing the impact that I had on people,” he said, telling the court he manipulated both users and his co-accused.

Moar said he intends to take advantage of programs while in prison to help him make positive changes.

“I’m hoping this is a wake-up call for me,” he said.

He added further incentives include his five kids and the fact he’s been shot three times in the past.

Several others remain before the court with their charges.