We had an individual, not yet even 40 years of age, who’d already notched up 69 convictions – and who was NOT IN JAIL at time of arrest

On May 15^th of this year, the Government of Canada alleged they were changing regulations to help prevent illegal production and trafficking of controlled substances

 

A media release from the Health Department stated ... illegal drugs tainted with highly toxic opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanyl continue to be behind the majority of opioid-related overdose deaths. Since 2017, nearly three quarters of opioid-related deaths in Canada involved fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances. At the border, we are seeing increasing interceptions of chemicals that can be used in the illegal production of fentanyls and certain amphetamines.

UNFORTUNATELY, it didn’t actually say anything at all about trafficking ... and with little more than a slap on the wrist, when convicted of multiple offenses, the production, manufacture, and distribution of deadly poison will continue unabated.

Here is a headline for a story that ran in the Province newspaper on Tuesday; “Vancouver fentanyl trafficker with 69 prior convictions gets nine years in jail”

This scumbag has already had SIXTY-NINE convictions ... and for this latest one he is to receive just 9 years.  More on this later!

In 2017 Warren Oswald left a suite where he had just assaulted a woman by slamming the door in her face as she tried to leave, and then punched her THREE TIMES IN THE FACE.

When notable injuries occur, a charge can be stepped up to causing bodily harm. It can still be prosecuted two ways, with a summary conviction and a maximum penalty of 18 months in jail, or, if it is prosecuted as an indictable offense, up to 10 years in prison.

This individual was arrested by the police where he was found to be carrying a number of drugs on his person (over three pounds of methamphetamines, over a pound of cocaine, just under a pound of fentanyl) along with ammunition for a firearm.  Then, when his residence was searched it was found to contain even more drugs as well as a loaded handgun

Penalties for trafficking or possession for the purposes of trafficking are serious ... sentence can range from 18 months, a $2,000 fine, or both – up to life imprisonment ... trafficking in cocaine or heroin is almost always punishable by imprisonment for two years or more. You may also face life imprisonment if you traffic over 30 kilograms of heroin or cocaine.

Now you did notice, just a moment ago, that I had indicated Oswald was also found to possess ammunition, and also had a loaded handgun in his residence.  He beats a woman trying to leave ... he had in his possession over five pounds of hard drugs including fentanyl ... and now we can add to that the firearms charges.

Careless use of firearm, etc.

86 (1) Every person commits an offence who, without lawful excuse, uses, carries, handles, ships, transports or stores a firearm, a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device or any ammunition or prohibited ammunition in a careless manner or without reasonable precautions for the safety of other persons ... is guilty of an indictable offence and  ... liable to imprisonment ... in the case of a first offence, for a term not exceeding two years

Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose  88 (1) Every person commits an offence who carries or possesses a weapon, an imitation of a weapon, a prohibited device or any ammunition or prohibited ammunition for a purpose dangerous to the public peace or for the purpose of committing an offence ... is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years;

So, we had an individual, not yet even forty years of age, who had already notched up 69 convictions – and who was NOT IN JAIL at the time of his arrest – WHY NOT!

The judge in the trial, Justice Nigel Kent, stated when sentencing Oswald, that he was predatory in the extreme.  So why did he receive only nine years?

Assault causing body harm can result in up to 10 years in prison

Trafficking in cocaine and / or heroin is a minimum 2 years ... with up to life imprisonment

Illegal possession of a firearm dangerous to the public peace can be anywhere from two years to 10 years depending on the severity of the offense.

Oswald received just nine years – and that was only for the drug and firearms charges – he got off scot free for the assault of the woman.

It gets worse though!

That nine-year sentence was reduced to just 5 and a half years due to the time he had been in custody since the charges had been laid in March of 2017.

With good behaviour, who knows how little time this poison peddler, woman beater,  and individual possessing and willing to use a loaded handgun, will get.

I think it would be fair to conclude that given 69 previous convictions, he’s been released early on all of them. WHY IS THAT?

Before granting a prisoner an early release, Parole Board members must be satisfied that the offender will not pose undue risk to the community and will fulfill specific conditions.

I’d say given SIXTY-NINE previous convictions – that doesn’t seem to be working out so well.

Oswald will once again likely be eligible for parole after serving just one-third of his latest sentence – that equates to just 36 months; meantime, he’s already been in custody for 27 months while he waited to go to trial.

Could he really be eligible to apply for early release in as little as nine months?

I guess we’ll have to wait and see