A Saskatoon man caught with 138 fentanyl pills in his home and garage has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
Justice Brian Scherman accepted a joint sentencing submission from the Crown and defence after Nathan Arthur Marsland, 28, pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday. His remaining charges — including several weapons offences and possession of methamphetamine and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking — were stayed in exchange for the plea.
According to a statement of facts read in court, police were conducting surveillance on another man in late September 2015 after getting a tip indicating that he had sold fentanyl pills involved in an overdose. Police suspected the man was selling the pills with and for Marsland, federal Crown prosecutor Barrie Miller said.
After officers observed behaviour consistent with drug trafficking, members of the integrated drug unit searched a home in the 200 block of Dickey Crescent on Oct. 16, 2015, court heard. They believed Marsland and his co-accused, Tony Lawrence Ironside, were living there. Police found documentation in Marsland’s name connected to the address, along with the fentanyl pills, 3.7 grams of meth, 6.9 grams of cocaine, $875 in cash, two sawed-off firearms with ammunition and a “trafficking kit” consisting of a scale, gloves and envelopes.
All charges against Ironside — which were the same as the charges laid against Marsland — were stayed after Marsland entered his guilty plea.
At the men’s first court appearance in 2015, Ironside’s lawyer at the time said the Crown would have to prove the drugs and guns were in his client’s possession and not just in the same house where he happened to be when the search warrant was executed. On Monday, the Crown did not provide any reasons for the stay of proceedings.
Miller said the sentence Marsland received is in line with other sentences for fentanyl trafficking, considering he had no prior criminal record.
Marsland was given a remand credit of 21 months and will serve his remaining 21 months in a federal institution. Part of his sentence also prohibits him from possessing guns for 10 years.
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