Saskatchewan Penitentiary. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Drugs in jail

Judge calls prison drug trafficking case ‘unusual’

Dec 4, 2020 | 1:00 PM

Prior to sentencing a man to 12 months in jail for selling drugs, a Prince Albert judge referred to the case as both unique and remarkable.

Jerry Raymond Keewathin, 37, was sentenced Thursday at Prince Albert Provincial Court, and appeared via video from the Regina Correctional Centre. The hearing came nearly one month after Keewathin pleaded guilty to selling cannabis. The offence itself occurred in November 2018 at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary.

Keewathin, an inmate at the time, told a prison security intelligence official he had a small quantity of shatter oil, which he explained he planned to sell or trade at the prison’s canteen for other goods. Once shatter has been diluted enough to stay in liquid form, it can be used in vape cartridges.

According to Crown prosecutor Jeff Summach, Keewathin’s partner brought the drugs to him during a visit 12 hours earlier. The drugs were stored in a small capsule, which Keewathin ingested.

Summach said when the liquid is divided into droplets on a piece of paper, each droplet can sell for as much as $10 in the institution.

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“I don’t know how many drops he would have gotten but it is a very small amount,” he said. “It demonstrates the value of drugs in the institution as compared to the value of drugs outside the institution.”

While acknowledging the quantity of the drugs was small, Summach said it pointed to a larger issue of drug trafficking within the penitentiary, and the idea of a black market controlled by gangs.

According to a pre-sentence report, Keewathin has a 92 per cent risk to re-offend.

Judge Healey noted he had never seen someone assessed at the level, turn themselves in and called it an “unusual situation.”

Veteran defence lawyer Rob Rooney agreed and explained to the best of his knowledge his client had an “epiphany” and simply wanted to begin turning his life around.

“It’s doubtful anyone in the Saskatchewan Penitentiary would have known anything, had he not turned himself in,” Rooney said.

When given the opportunity to speak, Keewathin expressed his remorse for his actions and added he wanted to be a positive role model for his children.

Keewathin’s new sentence will start when his current one ends in March, 2021. Upon his eventual release, Keewathin must also abide by a 10-year weapons prohibition.

Response from the Correctional Service of Canada

According to a statement emailed to paNOW by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), preventing the introduction of contraband and reducing the use of illicit substances by offenders in federal correctional institutions is a priority for correctional staff.

“Detecting drugs and contraband is an ongoing and challenging task. CSC relies on staff professionalism and attentiveness, in combination with detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband,” the statement said.

While it’s not clear how Keewathin’s partner was able to get the capsule by staff, the CSC explained officers are continually working to improve measures to prevent contraband from entering institutions to ensure a safe and secure environment. The statement said staff work in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to introduce contraband into correctional institutions.

“We have a number of tools available that are used to prevent the flow of drugs into our institutions. These include searches of offenders, visitors, staff, cells, vehicles, buildings and cells using non-intrusive search tools including, but not limited to, ion scanners and detector dogs,” the statement said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell