B.C.'s biggest pot case ends with 31/2- to 7-year jail terms Judge sentences five men for shipping $50 million of bud to the U.S. Ian Mulgrew, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, June 06, 2007
The largest marijuana prosecution in B.C. history ended with the sentencing of five men to prison terms ranging from 31/2 to seven years for shipping $50-million worth of bud to the U.S.
After years of legal jockeying and a marathon year-long trial, B.C. Justice Selwyn Romilly convicted Wade Adam, Sean Doak, Robert Hamm, Byron Newberry and Trevor Zacharuk.
He sentenced Doak to seven years imprisonment and Newberry to five, while Hamm, Adam and Zacharuk each got 31/2 -years' incarceration for being "foot soldiers."
Conspiracy 'kingpin' Sean Doak gets seven-year jail sentence. Ian Smith, Vancouver Sun, Files
"Tens of millions of dollars were realized by the conspirators in this illegal enterprise," Romilly said in his lengthy written judgment, released Friday.
"Crown counsel submitted that this is the largest conspiracy of its kind ever brought before the courts in British Columbia, and the largest group ever convicted for this type of activity in British Columbia."
Romilly decided Doak was a "kingpin" and evidence indicated he made as many as 100 phone calls a day managing the illegal enterprise that grossed more than $50 million.
Many others also have been convicted or pleaded guilty as a result of the sprawling international multi-force investigation that snared these five men in 2001 and exposed a handful of major independent, British Columbia -based drug smuggling organizations.
These separate groups used airplanes, helicopters, semi-trailers, and couriers who infiltrated the U.S. by sneaking across the border on foot.
The evidence showed this particular group made at least 13 deliveries by semi-trailer consisting of between 300 and 600 pounds of marijuana fetching a price of $2,500 US per pound -- that's between $750,000 and $1.5 million a load.
This phase of the sophisticated operation alone realized about $10 million US, Romilly said, at a time the U.S. dollar was up to 40 per cent higher than the Canadian dollar.
Their air bud arm flew at least two successful Cessna trips into the U.S. and delivered at least $1 million US worth of pot.
Helicopters made two to three trips a day south of the border laden each time with about 150 pounds of marijuana, earning the criminals some $36 million US.
At least eight so-called mules were used to carry hockey bags stuffed with 50 pounds of pot across the border bringing in another estimated $4 million US, the evidence showed.
Newberry, who ran the semi-trailer side of the operation, was Doak's main lieutenant and was responsible for recruiting for the organization.
Apart from Doak, though, Adam was the one accused who also knew all the other participants in the conspiracy, and there were many others indicted and unindicted co-conspirators in the Fraser and Okanagan valleys.
If problems surfaced regarding the delivery of product, it was Adam's responsibility to sort this out.
Zacharuk assisted in several ways: he collected marijuana from suppliers; packaged and labelled it for the customers and ensured it was delivered to the various modes of export.
Hamm was Doak's primary receiver in America, according to the evidence, who ensured the marijuana was stored in various locations stateside and then delivered it to the American customers.
B.C.'s biggest pot case ends with 31/2- to 7-year jail terms 
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