Man caught with drugs fined

No jail time for sole supporter of disabled wife and children

Getting caught with several kinds of drugs proved expensive for a P.E.I. man who is the sole support for his kids and disabled wife.

Matthew Leslie Carl Butler, 40, appeared before Justice Nancy Key in P.E.I. Supreme Court in Charlottetown on Monday for sentencing after the police caught him with small amounts of cocaine, Percocet, Ritalin and marijuana.

The court heard that in May, the RCMP received a tip Butler had marijuana he planned to sell.

After tracking him down at his parents’ house, the police searched Butler and found two grams of cocaine, nine Percocet pills, one Ritalin pill, about one gram of marijuana and $45 cash on him.

Butler told police he paid $80 for the cocaine.

He had a prior related criminal record at the time of his arrest.

The defence told the court Butler was the sole financial support for his disabled wife and three teenage children.

In recommending a sentence, the Crown suggested a fine with probation would be appropriate and the defence agreed, saying it would allow Butler to continue working and supporting his family.

Before hearing his sentence, Butler briefly addressed the court.

“I’m doing my best to get away from that kind of thing,” he said.

Key told Butler he wasn’t setting a good example for his children.

She then fined him $700, ordered him to pay a $200 victim surcharge and placed him on probation for 18 months.