Standoff man to stand trial on drug charges
A Standoff man who faces drug and weaponrelated charges from three separate incidents in Lethbridge in 2022 and 2023, will stand trial later this year in relation to two of the matters.
At about 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 2022 officers were patrolling in the 300 block of 4 and 5 Street South following multiple fentanyl overdoses during the previous hour. They noticed a truck in an alley with the engine running, lights on and the driver slumped over.
Police observed “a significant quantity of methamphetamine” in his possession, and after the driver was awoken, police arrested him and seized about 204 grams of meth, equivalent to more than 2,000 doses. They also found 485 grams of fentanyl, which reportedly equals more than 4,000 doses, and 15 grams of cocaine.
Police estimated the total street value of the drugs is more than $157,000, which is the largest seizure of fentanyl in the downtown core. They also seized drug paraphernalia, brass knuckles, suspected stolen property and $1,000 in cash.
Larry Healy Jr. was charged with three counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, single counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited/restricted weapon and possession of stolen property, and three counts of failing to comply with release conditions.
The 44-year-old accused is set to stand trial on those charges on Aug. 21-23 in Alberta Court of Justice.
Two months later Healy was granted bail, but placed on 24-hour house arrest. Several months later, during a court hearing on June 8, Healy’s house arrest was replaced by a curfew between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. every day. The same day, however, police arrested Healy and charged him with new charges: four counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime. He was also charged with two counts of failing to comply with bail conditions stemming from his drug-related charges in December.
Healy is scheduled to stand trial on those charges Sept. 25-27.
Healy was granted bail again in October so he could arrange to receive treatment for drug addiction, but by December he was back in custody facing new charges of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, failure to comply with release conditions, possession of a prohibited firearm, and possession of stolen property under $5,000.
Healy remains in custody on those charges, but during a court hearing Thursday, Calgary lawyer Kirsten Lancee said she is working on a bail plan, with a surety, and hopes to have a bail hearing when the matter returns to court Feb. 29. She also pointed out she and the Crown are having resolution discussions.