Drug charges lead to jail sentences

By Delon Shurtz on June 26, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

Two men involved in separate and unrelated incidents involving drugs have been handed short jail sentences.
Cory Bruce Hagan pleaded guilty Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to single counts of drug possession and breaching release conditions. Although he was given a 15-day sentence for each of the federal offences, to be served concurrently, he was also given credit for time he already spent in custody since his arrest last month, which completes his sentence.
On May 4 Hagan was downtown, where police saw him meeting with a number of people. The officers also knew he was wanted on a warrant, and arrested him. During a search they found in his pocket 10 grams of fentanyl and a digital scale.
Hagan was initially charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, but he pleaded not guilty to the charge in exchange for the guilty plea to simple drug possession.
Police also found Hagan in possession of a small folding knife, which he had previously been prohibited from possessing.
Hagan, who appeared in court by CCTV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, remains in custody on several provincial charges, including robbery and resisting a peace officer, and is scheduled to address those charges in court today.
In an unrelated incident, Paul Wayne McCarthy, 41, received a jail sentence after he was caught late last year with about 15 grams of fentanyl.
Coaldale RCMP noticed a vehicle with a licence plate that did not match the make of the car. Although they were unable to stop the vehicle, they saw it the following day parked in a residential area of Coaldale, but with a different licence plate. Police saw McCarthy leave a residence, climb into the car and drive away, but they were able to pull it over and arrest him.
When they searched the suspect, they found the drugs, a scale and some plastic bags.
McCarthy, who has a criminal record with convictions for drug possession and drug trafficking, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which will begin running May 4 when he completes a sentence on which he is currently serving.
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