medpot
09-12-2008, 07:02 AM
The Edmonton Sun (http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2008/09/12/6742516-sun.html)
Send a Letter to the Editor: mailbag@edmsun.com
Fri, September 12, 2008
Doper blown away
By TONY BLAIS, COURT BUREAU
Edmonton drug dealer Gavin Annett blew a kiss to one of two homicide detectives attending his sentencing hearing on marijuana growing and trafficking charges last week.
However, it was the officers who got the last laugh yesterday when a judge rejected Annett's request for house arrest and a hefty fine, instead putting him behind bars.
'VERY GRAVE' OFFENCES
Annett, 29, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after earlier being convicted of marijuana cultivation and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Donna Shelley noted the increasing problem of marijuana grow-ops and the large amounts of profit and told Annett his offences were "very grave" and his criminal responsibility was "quite high."
During the lunch break at Annett's sentencing hearing last Thursday, detectives Pat McCormack and Bill Clark were walking near the downtown Law Courts as the drug dealer and a buddy pulled up to a red light in an SUV sporting a vanity licence plate reading "Hydro."
As the officers looked over, Annett blew a kiss at McCormack. But yesterday, it was the two detectives who had big smiles on their faces as the convicted drug dealer was led away into custody by two court sheriffs.
Annett is also slated to appear in court today on additional marijuana cultivation and trafficking charges.
Meanwhile, Shelley gave co-accused Michael Waskul, 30, a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community, including 12 months of house arrest, for being cropsitter in a grow-op in a home Annett owned.
The pair were busted as a result of an investigation into the 2006 execution-style slaying of Eric Ellefson, 28.
Court heard police went to Annett's north Edmonton home two days after the Jan. 7, 2006, shooting and ended up getting a warrant to search a nearby home where they found 18 pounds of marijuana and a Baggie with Annett's fingerprint.
SEARCHES UNCOVER GROW-OPS
Several days later, police executed another search warrant at a different north-side home and discovered a pot-growing operation with 220 mature plants. Later that month, the Green Team raided two other north-side homes, finding 189 plants in one home and 601 in the other.
Clark says Annett remains a suspect in Ellefson's homicide, as well as Darren Rowland, who was earlier charged with first-degree murder in the slaying.
The charge was withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.
Ellefson was found slumped in the driver's seat of his idling pickup near 122 Avenue and 61 Street. An autopsy revealed he died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Send a Letter to the Editor: mailbag@edmsun.com
Fri, September 12, 2008
Doper blown away
By TONY BLAIS, COURT BUREAU
Edmonton drug dealer Gavin Annett blew a kiss to one of two homicide detectives attending his sentencing hearing on marijuana growing and trafficking charges last week.
However, it was the officers who got the last laugh yesterday when a judge rejected Annett's request for house arrest and a hefty fine, instead putting him behind bars.
'VERY GRAVE' OFFENCES
Annett, 29, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after earlier being convicted of marijuana cultivation and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Donna Shelley noted the increasing problem of marijuana grow-ops and the large amounts of profit and told Annett his offences were "very grave" and his criminal responsibility was "quite high."
During the lunch break at Annett's sentencing hearing last Thursday, detectives Pat McCormack and Bill Clark were walking near the downtown Law Courts as the drug dealer and a buddy pulled up to a red light in an SUV sporting a vanity licence plate reading "Hydro."
As the officers looked over, Annett blew a kiss at McCormack. But yesterday, it was the two detectives who had big smiles on their faces as the convicted drug dealer was led away into custody by two court sheriffs.
Annett is also slated to appear in court today on additional marijuana cultivation and trafficking charges.
Meanwhile, Shelley gave co-accused Michael Waskul, 30, a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community, including 12 months of house arrest, for being cropsitter in a grow-op in a home Annett owned.
The pair were busted as a result of an investigation into the 2006 execution-style slaying of Eric Ellefson, 28.
Court heard police went to Annett's north Edmonton home two days after the Jan. 7, 2006, shooting and ended up getting a warrant to search a nearby home where they found 18 pounds of marijuana and a Baggie with Annett's fingerprint.
SEARCHES UNCOVER GROW-OPS
Several days later, police executed another search warrant at a different north-side home and discovered a pot-growing operation with 220 mature plants. Later that month, the Green Team raided two other north-side homes, finding 189 plants in one home and 601 in the other.
Clark says Annett remains a suspect in Ellefson's homicide, as well as Darren Rowland, who was earlier charged with first-degree murder in the slaying.
The charge was withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.
Ellefson was found slumped in the driver's seat of his idling pickup near 122 Avenue and 61 Street. An autopsy revealed he died of a gunshot wound to the head.