Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jun 2000
Source: Daily Herald Tribune, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2000 The Daily Herald Tribune
Contact:  Postal Bag 3000, 10604 - 100 Street, Grande Prairie, Alberta T8V 6V4
Fax: (780) 532-2120
Website: http://www.bowesnet.com/dht/
Author: Scott Seymour

CONVICTIONS BEGIN ROLLING IN AFTER MAJOR DRUG BUST

The massive drug bust of a week ago is starting to fill federal prison cells.

As of today, three of the 28 people arrested have pleaded guilty and 
received jail sentences. Charles Wesley Morris has had the longest prison 
term so far - 54 months in a federal penitentiary for three counts of 
trafficking cocaine.

He pleaded guilty to the charges last Wednesday.

Morris, 26, was picked up on a warrant early last week, a few days after 
police arrested 27 people on trafficking and other drug-related charges.

This was not the first time Morris has ran afoul of the law.

Last October, Morris and another Grande Prairie man were arrested on 
charges of extortion and possession of stolen property in connection with 
an incident with a 22-year-old woman one month earlier.

Morris was denied bail on those charges but released on a long list of 
conditions, including abstaining from alcohol and not associating with 
co-accused.

But both men violated those conditions in late October and Morris was 
charged with mischief under $5,000, and possession of  cocaine and 
methamphetamines.

In November, he got 45 days in jail on those charges and in January, he was 
sentenced to two days in jail and fined $2,500 for the original extortion 
charges.

In sentencing Morris for the drug charges last week, Judge Don Patterson 
also prohibited him from owning firearms for five years after his jail 
sentence.

Patterson also handed jail time to 21-year-old Jarrid Daniel Rychard, and 
19-year-old Dietta Lynn McDonald, both of Grande Prairie.

Rychard was sentenced to three years in a federal jail on two counts of 
cocaine trafficking and McDonald two years on one charge of trafficking of 
cocaine.

They received their sentences one day before their child's third birthday.

"I must comment on what a tragedy this is," said Patterson. "The thought of 
a three-year-old child whose parents are going off to a penitentiary is 
abysmal."

Meanwhile, several others had their day in court last week and are 
scheduled to reappear later this month.

Paul Donald Abell, 26, reserved his plea until today on cocaine 
trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking and breach of probation.

Jason Arthur Hamm, 21 and Sharon Lynn McConnell, 26, are charged with in 
separate counts of cocaine trafficking and their election and plea were 
scheduled for today.

Jason Troy McEachern, 26, is also making an election and plea today on one 
count of cocaine trafficking.

Today's other court appearance will be made by 28-year-old Billie-Kae 
Speed, who is facing cocaine trafficking and possession charges.

Appearing in court next Monday are: * 29-year-old Darryl Gordon Gouchee on 
counts of trafficking cocaine and marijuana; * Richard, 45, and Diana Mae, 
43, Gardiner. Both have been charged with two counts of cocaine trafficking.
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