A five-year sentence was recommended to the court Monday for a Delta man in connection with a multi-jurisdictional fentanyl drug bust in 2016.
Lawyers for the defence and prosecution presented a joint sentencing submission for Adam Summers, now 28, in Surrey provincial court.
His co-accused, Adam Pipping of Surrey, had his sentencing hearing adjourned until June 29 to allow lawyers time to review a restitution agreement to the landlord of the Burnaby home where the drug operation was discovered and for the prosecution to review an enhanced credit application presented by the defence.
Both Summers and Pipping have been in custody since March 2016.
Federal prosecutor Mick LeDressay told the court the drug operation was high-level, profitable and dealt with large amounts of fentanyl.
“Given the dangers inherent in fentanyl trafficking and that these were the two largest trafficking incidents in which Mr. Summers participated, it is the Crown’s position that five years would be appropriate,” said LeDressay.
“Mr. Summers presented in the undercover operations as very much the lieutenant of Mr. Pipping – the person who organized the dial-a-dope lines, the person who appeared to organize the runners and helped train the runners and in as much as he was involved in a much higher level in the management of the dial-a-dope operation that went hand-in-hand with the production, we say this is a factor that needs to be taken into account.”
LeDressay told the court the five-year sentence is in line with recent sentencing involving people who are engaged in fentanyl trafficking at higher levels.
The sentence will also include a 10-year firearms ban as well as submitting a DNA sample to the court. Summers would also receive credit for time already served.
In laying out his case, defence attorney Mani Sandhu said Summers does not have an extensive criminal record and that essentially his trial was by way of submission.
“A mitigating factor that goes in Mr. Summers’ favour is that his submission allowed for less court time and for a number of witnesses to not be called,” said Sandhu. “He indicates that he worked in an auto shop with his dad. His dad is supportive and his mom and sister are here in court, so he does have support in the community when he is released.
“Mr. Summers has spent a significant amount of time in custody and has had time to reflect on his role and insight into his actions. I would suggest that a five-year sentence minus the time credited is appropriate.”
Justice Gurmail Gill said he was satisfied with the submissions, but wanted to present a written statement with reasons on his findings.
The court has set June 29 to hear the judge’s statement as well as begin sentencing submissions for Pipping.
Delta police and Burnaby RCMP combined forces in March 2016 where officers discovered a major drug operation at a home in Burnaby where fentanyl was being mixed with other substances to make it look like heroin. Officers seized $1.5 million in cash, multiple firearms, computers and cell phones, as well as fentanyl, 12 kilograms of cocaine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $100,000 worth of pills, including OxyContin.
