Sydney man fined, placed on probation for illegal pot dispensary

SYDNEY — A Sydney man who operated an illegal marijuana dispensary has been fined $10,000 and placed on probation for two years. Donald James Campbell, 40, of Grand Lake Road, is also to supply a DNA sample to the national registry and is banned from possessing firearms for 10 years. Campbell was sentenced after pleading guilty to possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Charges against three co-accused, Stephanie Marie Boutilier, 27, Grand Lake Road, Morgan Christopher Ferguson, 43, of Terrance Street, and Paul Raymond Theriault, 39, of Grand Lake Road, have been dismissed.

The four were charged after a joint RCMP-Cape Breton Regional Police investigation into two locations operated by Campbell under the name Cape Breton Medical Cannabis. Charges were filed in December 2017.

When the accused made their first court appearance in December, they were joined by some 80 supporters angered that their access to marijuana for pain and other relief was being cut off.

It was much quieter scene this week during the sentencing hearing when none of the supporters were on hand. In October 2018, the sale of marijuana became legal in Canada with some restrictions. In Nova Scotia, the provincial government now controls the sale of marijuana through designated liquor stores.

The 2017 police raid on two properties netted investigators an estimated $200,000 worth of drugs along with $30,000 cash. Campbell was ordered to pay $2,000 on his fine immediately and pay $4,000 by April 14, 2020, and the final $4,000 by April 14, 2021. Among the conditions of his probation, Campbell is not to possess any weapons and take all counselling as recommended by his probation officer and is not to volunteer or operate a marijuana dispensary.