Pubdate: Tue, 31 Aug 2004
Source: Chronicle Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2004 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Sherri Borden Colley, Court Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

DRUG COP JAILED FOUR YEARS

Officer Who Sold Pot Was Slated To Guard PM

Joseph Daniel Ryan, the former Tantallon RCMP officer who sold marijuana 
seized by police, is now behind bars with other pushers.

Lilly Ryan, the former constable's pregnant wife, wailed, "Oh, my God" 
moments after a Supreme Court judge sentenced her husband to four years in 
prison for what the Crown called "absolute corruption."

The sentence is one year longer than the Crown requested.

"I love you, babe," a stocky Mr. Ryan sobbed as he was escorted out of a 
Halifax courtroom as many of his former colleagues looked on.

Before his arrest, Mr. Ryan was "highly respected," and was in line to join 
the prime minister's security detail.

In June, Justice Walter Goodfellow found Mr. Ryan, an ex-member of the 
Tantallon RCMP's revered street team, guilty of marijuana trafficking and 
breach of trust. On Monday, the judge handed Mr. Ryan four-year concurrent 
sentences on each count.

The penalty came one month after another blow for the Ryan family. Last 
month, a motor vehicle accident left their six-year-old son with a severe 
brain injury and Mr. Ryan, 33, with broken ribs.

Throughout the sentencing hearing, the distraught couple tightly grasped 
each other's hands and wiped tears from their eyes.

"To my colleagues, to my family . . . I am very sorry for everything. I 
take responsibility," a sobbing Mr. Ryan told the judge.

In a rare step, Justice Goodfellow rejected both the three-year sentence 
acting Crown attorney David Bright requested and the two-year conditional 
sentence and three years' probation sought by the defence.

"A conditional sentence, in my view, would promote disrespect for the law," 
Justice Goodfellow said, adding that Mr. Ryan broke the very law he was 
sworn to uphold. "(Mr. Ryan) grossly abused his position of trust."

The judge called Mr. Ryan a "dishonest, criminally active police officer."

Mr. Ryan has been working as a service manager for a Quebec franchise.

Defence lawyer Mike Taylor urged the the judge to allow Mr. Ryan to serve 
his time in the community for safety and financial reasons.

"Mr. Ryan certainly has . . . significant concerns for his personal safety 
in any institution," Mr. Taylor said.

"There's not much doubt that a police officer is at particular risk, 
especially an officer in the drug world. It's as high-risk as you could 
possibly get."

Mr. Ryan gave the judge a written list of 28 reasons why he should be given 
a conditional sentence.

Mr. Taylor also said Mr. Ryan is the main breadwinner in the family, and 
the family income will drop to about $13,000 when his wife goes on 
maternity leave in December.

"Mr. Ryan has indicated that bankruptcy will be the next step," Mr. Taylor 
said.

Mr. Bright, a prominent defence lawyer brought in to prosecute the case for 
the Crown, told reporters Mr. Ryan used and abused his position.

At the management level, that abuse affected the ability of other officers 
to carry out their duties for a while, Mr. Bright said.

Mr. Bright said jail time was needed for deterrence.

"The public has to be able to trust their police and to know that they can 
go to the police if there's a problem," he said.

In his 32 years as a lawyer, Mr. Bright has never seen a case like Mr. Ryan's.

"Well, policemen get in trouble from time to time, but these particular 
circumstances were very rare," Mr. Bright said.

Justice Goodfellow cited sheer greed as Mr. Ryan's motivation for turning 
to crime.

A presentence report cited Mr. Ryan's "love of luxury and tendency to live 
beyond his means."

The RCMP has a benefit trust fund that assists members in financial 
difficulty. But the court heard that Mr. Ryan never asked for any help 
while with the force.

"Total shock," "disbelief" and "upset" were words fellow officers and brass 
used in testimony to describe how news of Mr. Ryan's arrest affected the 
35-member Tantallon office.

Sgt. Gregory Taker, the lead investigator in the sting that nailed Mr. 
Ryan, was assigned to break the news to Mr. Ryan's colleagues.

"I was shocked by the reaction," Sgt. Taker testified Monday. "The best way 
for me to put it is, it was almost like a grieving process when someone dies.

"It devastated that detachment."

Sgt. Taker recalled officers coming into his office and crying for 30 minutes.

"He (Mr. Ryan) was highly respected, and I think that's what hit the 
members so hard."

Many felt betrayed, testified Const. Howard Gillis, who executed many 
search warrants with Mr. Ryan.

"Everything he told me, I believed at face value. A lot of members were 
very hurt by it."

Eight investigators, a surveillance team, members of the witness protection 
program and three or four monitors were required for the sting.

"A great deal of time, manpower and money went into this investigation 
where it could have been spent elsewhere," Sgt. Taker said.

Mr. Ryan's actions also brought into question the work of other officers in 
that office.

Supt. Vern Fraser, in charge of the RCMP's Halifax detachment, testified 
that the force had to go in and lock the doors and keep officers away from 
their own office to audit exhibits.

Outside court, Supt. Fraser said he was satisfied with the sentence.

"We've been sworn to uphold the law, and that's what we do day in and day 
out," Supt. Fraser told reporters.

"It was unfortunate that the circumstances (being what) they were, that 
didn't happen. I think this brings to an end that issue and certainly sends 
a strong message to everybody that the law is there for all to abide by."

A number of reviews relating to cases Mr. Ryan was involved in and policy 
changes relating to accountability and how Mr. Ryan improperly obtained the 
drugs have already occurred. Followup investigations are ongoing.
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