A man has pleaded guilty but charges against his wife have been stayed, ending a court case that dated back to 2011 after police said they seized a total of 28 pounds of marijuana on three separate occasions.
Michael Wesley Primeau pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and was given an 18-month conditional sentence with conditions from Judge Terence Wright in provincial court here Dec. 10.
Kerry Lynn Manning had pleaded not guilty to two charges of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Her charges were stayed by the court.
Federal prosecutor Kristina Guest had asked for a sentence of 12 to 16 months of jail time for Primeau. On Sept. 12, 2011, RCMP reported that a Terrace couple faced serious charges after trying to bring 28 pounds of marijuana into the community, which police said was enough marijuana to make more than 35,000 joints.
The investigation stretched back to 2010 when RCMP drug officers in Prince Rupert, with the assistance of other police officers, determined that a husband and wife team was buying marijuana in the Lower Mainland and using a truck to transport the drugs to Terrace, said police.
Manning was arrested Sept. 22, 2010 in Chilliwack with 25 pounds of marijuana, said police. Primeau was arrested Jan. 11, 2011 in Hope with three pounds of marijuana and Manning was arrested again Jan. 12, 2011 in possession of a half pound of marijuana at the family home in Terrace, said police.
Primeau must also abide by a 10-year firearms prohibition, provide a sample of DNA to police and pay a victim fine surcharge of $200 by June 2, 2014. And a vehicle seized by police will be forfeited to the Crown.
Two charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking against Primeau were stayed by the court.