Peachlander sentenced to 20 months for trafÀcking

A Peachland man convicted in a drugtrafÀcking case in which a party drug destined for West Kelowna from China was intercepted by police has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.

Ethan Louis Dillon, 22, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafÀcking.

On March 26, 2015, members of the Kelowna RCMP drug section received information regarding a 12.7-kilogram package destined for West Kelowna.

Laboratory analysis conÀrmed the unknown substance was ethylone, known as MDEA.

On April 1, 2015, two 19-year-old men and a 20-year-old man were arrested.

On March 27, 2017, Steven Robert Allen pleaded guilty to two counts of possession for the purpose of trafÀcking. On Sept. 8, 2017, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Dillon’s trial was scheduled to begin March 26, 2018, but he did not show up for court.

A warrant was issued for his arrest, and police ofÀcers found him in bed in his Peachland home that afternoon.

Dillon claimed he thought the trial was starting the next day.

Another warrant was issued for Dillon’s arrest March 27, when he again did not show up for court.

On April 4, Dillon, who had been representing himself at the trial, was found guilty of both possession of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafÀcking.

He was not present in court for the decision and was still considered missing. Dillon was arrested a few days later. On July 17, he was sentenced to 20 months in jail.

Crown had argued for two years imprisonment, while defence was asking for 18 months.

With credit for time served, Dillon has just under 15 months left to serve.