Man sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to drug and firearm charges

By Delon Shurtz on September 18, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A 25-year-old Lethbridge man who was caught with drugs and a gun was urged to get counseling for his drug addiction before he ends up dead.
“Do the best you can,” Judge John Maher encouraged Dylan Ivan Sokol, who pleaded guilty Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to single counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Sokol was sentenced to a two-year federal prison term, but given credit for time already spent in custody, reducing his sentence to just under 21 months, which he will serve in a provincial facility.
On April 20 of last year Lethbridge police saw Sokol get into a pickup truck, which had a licence plate registered to another vehicle. Police followed the truck, in which Sokol was a passenger, and observed it make several stops to sell drugs.
Police stopped the vehicle and found 158 grams of methamphetamine, which Sokol admitted he intended to sell. Police also found weigh scales used for drug trafficking.
On July 28 of this year Sokol was again seen by police while he was driving along Mayor Magrath Drive in the city. Sokol was wanted on an outstanding warrant, so police followed and watched him stop at an apartment complex, which he entered with a couple of duffel bags. When he returned without the bags, police arrested him. They found a .22 calibre rifle inside one of the bags, but at the time Sokol was prohibited from possessing any weapons.
“The barrel had been shortened,” Federal Crown Prosecutor Mark Klassen added.
Lethbridge lawyer Darcy Shurtz pointed out Sokol grew up in the drug culture and has struggled with a drug addiction most of his life. His mother, who was also involved in the drug culture, died a number of years ago.
“Mr. Sokol essentially was raised and grew up in that lifestyle and has not been able to get out of it,” Shurtz said.
In addition to his jail sentence, Sokol is also prohibited from possessing weapons for life. More than 60 other charges relating to breaches, driving and drug and weapons offences were withdrawn. Charges against a co-accused, Andrea Joy Carlson, who faced about two dozen weapons and drug-related offences, were also withdrawn.

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