By Global Desklast Updated
TIL CreativesRichmond man sentenced to 11 years after police seize 15.6 kg of fentanyl, cocaine, and cash in Tesla during major drug investigation
A Richmond man who was caught with a shopping bag filled with fentanyl, bricks of cocaine, and cash in his Tesla has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for drug trafficking. The court judgment, released this week, lays out the events that led to the arrest of Jason Thomas Howard Conrad, who pleaded guilty to two counts of possession for trafficking.Arrest followed surveillance of suspected drug houseAccording to the sentencing decision by Justice Andrew Majawa, Conrad was under police surveillance in early 2023 as part of an investigation into a property on McLeod Court in Richmond. That home, police later confirmed, was being used to produce fentanyl.Conrad was seen entering the residence empty-handed in February 2023 and leaving with a heavy-looking backpack. The next day, he returned carrying a bag and left without it. In March, after another visit, he was arrested. Police discovered 15.6 kilograms of fentanyl in a shopping bag he was carrying. The fentanyl, described as between 68 and 79 per cent pure, emitted a strong chemical odor. He also had three cellphones with him.Cocaine, cash and weapons found Police then searched Conrad鈥檚 Tesla, which was registered in his name. Inside, they found $47,800 in cash, two one-kilogram bricks of cocaine with high purity, a stun baton, and two additional cellphones. Nearly one year later, he was formally charged and taken into custody, where he remained until sentencing.Live EventsJustice Majawa found that Conrad acted as a courier in the drug operation, saying he 鈥減rovided the necessary labour to transport the fentanyl and cocaine such that it could be introduced into the supply chain,鈥 but that 鈥渉is role does not reflect any decision-making power within any larger organization.鈥滳riminal history and public danger weighed in sentenceConrad鈥檚 28 prior convictions, including drug offences, assaults, property crimes, and breaches, were weighed heavily as aggravating factors. The judge described his moral culpability as high, noting he was a 鈥渕ature man with a significant criminal history鈥 at the time of the offence.Justice Majawa also emphasized the danger posed by the quantity of fentanyl, calling it 鈥渆normous鈥 and 鈥渘othing short of staggering.鈥 He wrote that the drugs 鈥渨ould almost certainly have destroyed a very large number of lives of the users that would have consumed those drugs and of their family members.鈥漈he judge considered Conrad鈥檚 guilty plea, which avoided a 16-week trial, as a mitigating factor, along with signs of remorse and attempts at rehabilitation. The 11-year sentence was jointly proposed by the Crown and defense and accepted by the court. With time served credited, Conrad鈥檚 remaining sentence amounts to nine years, one month, and 20 days.鈥淢r. Conrad, I wish you success in your journey towards your rehabilitation,鈥 Justice Majawa concluded.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Read More News onfentanylcocaineTeslaDrug bustdrug traffickingdrug trafficking Canadapolice drug investigation
(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onfentanylcocaineTeslaDrug bustdrug traffickingdrug trafficking Canadapolice drug investigation(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
Explore More Stories123