Accused in record fentanyl bust eyes drug treatment court
By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on March 24, 2023.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com
A 43-year-old Standoff man who was arrested after Lethbridge police seized more than $150,000 worth of drugs three days before Christmas, has applied to the Lethbridge drug treatment court.
The matter for Larry Healy Jr. was in provincial court Thursday where the accused’s lawyer was granted an adjournment until next month to complete the application process.
Applications are submitted to the Crown’s office and screened for eligibility then passed on to a police liaison. The applicant must also have a motivational assessment.
Participants who face at least one year in jail, plead guilty to their charges – non-violent offences intertwined with addiction – and work through the program for up to two years. If completed, the charges are often withdrawn.
Healy is charged with three counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, single counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited/restricted weapon, possession of stolen property, and three counts of failing to comply with release conditions.
Police reported that about 10:15 p.m. Dec. 22 officers were patrolling in the 300 block of 4 Street and 5 Street South following multiple fentanyl overdoses during the previous hour. They noticed a truck in an alley with the engine running, lights on and the driver slumped over.
Police saw “a significant quantity of methamphetamine” in the driver’s possession, and after he was awoken, he was taken into custody.
Police seized about 15 grams of cocaine, 204 grams of methamphetamine, equivalent to more than 2,000 doses, and 485 grams of fentanyl, which equals more than 4,000 doses.
Police estimated the drugs are worth more than $157,000 on the street, which is the largest seizure of fentanyl in the downtown core. They also seized drug paraphernalia, brass knuckles, suspected stolen property and $1,000 in cash.
Healy was released from remand custody following a brief court hearing last month, and after he, along with a surety, promised to pay $1,000 if he breaches any of the conditions of his bail.
Those conditions include reporting weekly to the police, not going within 100 metres of the Streets Alive Mission on 4 Avenue South downtown, and not possessing any weapons. He must also remain in his surety’s residence 24 hours a day, seven days a week – effectively house arrest – except for medical emergencies, work, to attend counselling or treatment and meet for legal appointments.
The matter returns to court April 13 for an update on his application to the drug treatment court.
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I agree with drug courts 100% but I would like to see changes in the process. If the subject doesn’t complete the drug treatment, whether almost fully completed or walking away in a few days, he should be accountable to serve the full sentence, along with an additional probation period of 2 years after being released.
These dealers are only getting slaps on the wrist and the drugs they are selling are/have killed 60-70 per year in this area. If this were any other crime they would not be receiving these light sentences.
We need to stop pampering the addicts and stop handing out light sentences to dealers who are just as bad, in fact worse, then drunk drivers who kill and maime others in accidents.
Yes I just don’t understand the double standard. I see the different players- the different drug gangs operating. If the city corrals or tries to corral all these different characters into a care campus,the situation will take on a whole expanded dimension.