Surprise case
Man in prison was given drugs inside chocolate egg
A man facing a slew of charges — including counts that, while in prison, he received contraband drugs that were inside a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg from a visiting friend — is expected to plead guilty when his case wraps up next month.
A man facing a slew of charges — including counts that, while in prison, he received contraband drugs that were inside a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg from a visiting friend — is expected to have his case wrap up next month.
Steven Michael Rumsey, 34, was supposed to have his sentencing hearing Friday, but when the case was called in provincial court in St. John’s, lawyers informed the judge that Rumsey has a new lawyer.
Defence counsel Madeline White said she was retained last week, and told Judge Colin Flynn that she needed time to review the information in Rumsey’s file before proceeding.
However, she said the case is expected to be dealt with by way of speedy disposition, meaning Rumsey will enter guilty pleas to some of the charges at the next court date.
White, along with federal Crown prosecutor Neil Smith and provincial Crown prosecutor Carrie Rudolph, agreed to have the case return to court June 20.
It’s believed that on March 22, 2014, Rumsey’s friend, Shannon Boutcher, passed the packaged plastic capsule from the Kinder Surprise treat to him while she was visiting him at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary. The capsule contained about two grams of cocaine, a gram of marijuana and 16 tablets of hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
Rumsey has been charged with three counts each of drug trafficking and possessing controlled drugs in connection with that incident.
However, he is also charged with a dozen counts of theft under $5,000, along with dozens of court breaches, including breaching probation conditions, in connection with other incidents.
Rumsey told the judge he wanted a joint submission in the case — an agreement by lawyers on the length of his sentence.
Meanwhile, Boutcher was convicted last month of three counts of trafficking illegal drugs. Her sentencing is set for June 20.