Transporting 43 pounds of marijuana into Alberta landed an Edmonton man three years under the watch of law enforcement.
Ke Phang Truong, 55, was handed a two-year conditional sentence followed by one year of probation when he pleaded guilty in St. Albert Provincial Court Monday to possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
Federal Crown prosecutor Kevin Short told the court that Truong was caught on two separate occasions with large quantities of marijuana in his vehicle, while driving from B.C. to Edmonton.
Truong’s lawyer said his client was given a small amount of money by unnamed individuals in Vancouver to transport a bag with a lock to Edmonton.
He was pulled over by police near Jasper in late January 2010 and was observed to be acting nervous.
“One thing led to another and they brought out a dog,” his lawyer said.
Police seized 30 pounds of marijuana, which was contained in the locked bag in Truong’s vehicle.
Roughly nine months later, while Truong was on a recognizance from the first offence, police again pulled over his vehicle. Police seized 13 pounds of marijuana and seized his vehicle as civil forfeiture, Short said, adding the offence was “highly aggravating.”
Truong had no prior related record and has stayed out of trouble since October 2010, his lawyer said.
He visits B.C. regularly, as that is where his wife and daughter reside.
Truong will spend his first year of his conditional sentence under house arrest, and is to remain inside his residence unless attending court, work, medical appointments, treatment and counselling as directed by his probation officer or for shopping for the necessities of life, which cannot exceed four hours each week.
He was granted two exceptions to his term of house arrest and will be allowed to travel to B.C. for two weeks in August and roughly three weeks in December.
He will spend the second year of his conditional sentence abiding by a curfew that requires him to remain in his residence between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
He will be on probation for the following year and must complete 80 hours of community service.
Truong is banned from owning weapons for 10 years, with a lifetime prohibition for restricted weapons.
Short withdrew an additional charge for possession for the purpose of trafficking.
