'High-level' meth trafficker sentenced to seven years

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A high-level meth dealer has been sentenced to seven years in prison, with the presiding judge citing the need to deter traffickers whose actions take a grave toll on society.

Cole Alexander McFadden, 32, was in the prisoner’s dock in a Moncton courtroom Monday for his sentencing before Court of King’s Bench Justice Ivan Robichaud. Prosecutor Bernard Roux had asked for eight to 10 years in prison for McFadden, who pleaded guilty to having crystal meth for the purpose of trafficking, while defence lawyer Alex Pate asked for four to five years.

Robichaud determined seven years was the appropriate sentence and credited McFadden with the time he’s already spent in remand. That leaves the offender with approximately four years and two months left on his sentence.

The judge said the large amount of crystal meth found – 3.7 kilograms worth potentially more than $200,000 – and the damage caused by drugs such as meth led to the high sentence. He said traffickers do both direct and indirect damage to society with their product, harming and killing the people who use it and harming the community when those addicted commit crimes to support their habit.

In quoting from case law, the judge said “the trafficking of hard drugs has been deemed a scourge warranting imprisonment.”

McFadden and Christina Ida Blacklock, 32, were both in court for the start of the trial on Jan. 15, but McFadden instead pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking. The Crown withdrew the drug charges against her and withdrew charges against McFadden relating to illegal gun possession.

Roux read the facts of the offence into the record on Jan. 15. He said police executed a search warrant at a home on Chemin Poucette in Saint-Andre-LeBlanc, about 50 kilometres east of Moncton, in mid-January 2022. Roux said McFadden and Blacklock were living together in the home, along with children.

During the search police seized 3.7 kilograms of crystal meth. One package was found in an opening in the couch while the other three were in the kitchen.

The prosecutor said police found scales, a money counter, cannabis and 560 pills that were later determined to be steroids.

Roux said a shotgun, rifle and loaded rifle magazine were found between the mattress and box spring in what appeared to be a child’s bedroom, though there was no evidence there was a child sleeping there at the time.

The defence contended that McFadden had no knowledge of the guns.

Robichaud said on Monday that while there’s no evidence the guns were in a child’s room, it’s clear children were living in that home.

“The drugs were in places accessible to a child,” the judge said.