A Powell River woman has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for drug and firearms offences.
Chloe Thompson was before B.C. Supreme Court Justice Alan Ross after pleading guilty to two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, namely fentanyl and methamphetamines, and possession of a loaded prohibited firearm without holding the required licences.
She also pleaded guilty to failing to attend court.
The charges arose from incidents in Powell River June 24, 2020.
In March of that year, local RCMP began an investigation of Skyler Clow and Thompson.
RCMP had earlier received reports from witnesses and a confidential informer about Clow and Thompson indicating they were trafficking drugs in Powell River, were in possession of guns, and prone to acts of violence when collecting drug debts, Ross said in his Oct. 8 decision.
Between March and June 2020, police conducted six days of surveillance on the pair, observing them meeting with individuals known to be involved in the drug trade, including a known member of a local motorcycle club.
“The RCMP also observed them engage in short‑duration meetings that were consistent with drug-trafficking transactions,” Ross said.
Police concluded that the meetings were consistent with a dial‑a‑dope drug-trafficking operation, the judge said.
On June 24, 2020, police decided that it was necessary to end the investigation and arrested Clow and Thompson.
The officers searched a car and found a Taser and a canister of bear spray under the front passenger seat, and a black extendable baton lodged beside the same seat.
On executing a search warrant, police said they found one gram of fentanyl, 21 grams of methamphetamine, 3.5 grams of powder cocaine, 0.3 grams of crack cocaine, 0.2 grams of MDMA and 0.5 grams of morphine.
Ross said officers also found a loaded Ruger SR22 semiautomatic rifle with a sawed‑off barrel and equipped with an oversized banana clip. They also found a severed rifle barrel in the kitchen.
They found two handgun holsters in one of the safes and loose rounds of .22‑calibre ammunition and loose shotgun shells, Ross said.
The Crown prosecutor asserted it was a mid‑level, drug‑trafficking operation.
Broken down, Ross sentenced Thompson to 24 months for the possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking; 12 months for the possession of methamphetamines for the purpose of trafficking; and 36 months for the unlawful possession of the loaded rifle.
Those sentences are to be served concurrently.
Ross also sentenced her to 15 days for breach of court conditions.
