Drug dealer sentenced to 14 months in jail

BY KEITH LACEY

A local man caught dealing drugs out of his home in early 2006 and then again a couple of months ago while out on bail has been sentenced to 14 months in jail.

Ross Jewell, 50, pleaded guilty to two separate drug trafficking charges Tuesday, as well as being in possession of a stolen rifle and having a large amount of counterfeit money.

The 14-month sentence is on top of two months Jewell has spent behind bars after Greater Sudbury Police raided his Valley East home on March 23.

Court heard Tuesday Greater Sudbury Police received information on Jan. 13, 2006, drugs were being sold from the home owned by Jewell.

Inside the home and garage, police found 77 grams of pot, 24 grams of marijuana resin, digital scales and drug debt lists. They also found five unregistered weapons, including one .22-calibre rifle that was reported stolen.

Jewell was released on bail, but police received another call and again raided Jewell's home on March 23 of this year.

Inside the garage, police seized 50 grams of marijuana, 25 grams of cocaine, and almost $4,000 in Canadian and American currency. They also seized almost $11,000 in "poor quality" counterfeit money, said federal Crown prosecutor Richard Huneault.

Defence counsel Edmond Paquette said his client's arrest and imprisonment has caused great stress on his marriage of 27 years and caused embarrassment and shame to his two grown children.

Jewell worked for a local construction company and had a good job managing 25 workers, but has been on a disability pension for the past eight years, he said.

Considering his client was caught selling drugs once and made the decision to do it again is a serious matter and the sentence being proposed is not unreasonable under the circumstances, he said.

Jewell had only one previous conviction, again for trafficking drugs, dating back many years, court heard.

Huneault said the fact Jewell went from trafficking pot to cocaine is a serious aggravating factor.
Justice Yvon Renaud agreed the 14-month jail sentence was appropriate. He also prohibited Jewell from owning or possessing weapons for the rest of his life. All money and drugs seized are to be forfeited to the Crown, except for $2,500 so Jewell can pay legal fees, said Renaud.