R. v. Russell (M.C.) et al.,

• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Judge: Romilly, J.
• Neutral Citation: 2000 BCSC 0027
• Subject Matter: CRIMINAL LAW
• Citation: 2000 BCSC 0027,(2000), 27 B.C.T.C. 321 (SC),27 BCTC 321,(2000), 27 BCTC 321 (SC),27 B.C.T.C. 321
• Date: 10 January 2000
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)

R. v. Russell (M.C.) (2000), 27 B.C.T.C. 321 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2000] B.C.T.C. TBEd. FE.033

Her Majesty The Queen v. Michael Currie Russell and Brooks Farrell Grenfal

(CC981460; 2000 BCSC 0027)

Indexed As: R. v. Russell (M.C.) et al.

British Columbia Supreme Court

Vancouver

Romilly, J.

January 10, 2000.

Summary:

Russell attempted to set up a methamphetamine lab and possessed all of the chemical precursors and equipment necessary to manufacture a massive amount of methamphetamines (up to $2.4M). Russell and Grenfal were involved in a complex scheme in which Russell imported MDMA and MDEA (ecstasy) from Holland and Belgium and sold it in Canada. Russell pled guilty to conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine and to trafficking in ecstasy. Grenfal pled guilty to trafficking in ecstasy. Russell was 54, had three daughters and no criminal record. He had worked in the Caribbean for a number of years and was involved in various business enterprises. He served seven months in pre-trial custody before being released on bail with very strict conditions. Grenfal was 67, a pharmacist, had enjoyed a middle class background and had two sons. He was convicted of tax evasion in 1992 and sentenced to 20 months in jail. He was Russell's employee in the ecstasy trafficking operation. Both accused sought a conditional sentence.

The British Columbia Supreme Court reviewed the caselaw and held that conditional sentences were not appropriate. The court sentenced Russell to four years' imprisonment for each offence (concurrent). Grenfal was sentenced to two years less one day. The court considered the large scale of the drug operation and distribution as an aggravating factor. The court also considered how dangerous the drugs were to young persons.

Criminal Law - Topic 5720.4

Punishments (sentence) - Conditional sentence - Circumstances when available or appropriate - See paragraphs 65 to 75.

Criminal Law - Topic 5830.8

Sentencing - Considerations on imposing sentence - Drug and narcotic offences - See paragraphs 1 to 77.

Criminal Law - Topic 5857

Sentence - Conspiracy - To traffic in methamphetamine - See paragraphs 1 to 77.

Criminal Law - Topic 5850

Sentence - Trafficking in a drug - Methamphetamines and ecstasy - See paragraphs 1 to 77.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Charlie (P.L.) (1998), 114 B.C.A.C. 292; 186 W.A.C. 292 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Anderson (G.A.) (1998), 113 B.C.A.C. 310; 184 W.A.C. 310 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Reed (R.R.) (1998), 107 B.C.A.C. 50; 174 W.A.C. 50 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Pawa (J.L.) (1998), 106 B.C.A.C. 296; 172 W.A.C. 296 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. R.J.S. (1998), 102 B.C.A.C. 166; 166 W.A.C. 166 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. R.N.S. (1997), 100 B.C.A.C. 120; 163 W.A.C. 120 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Bui (T.V.) (1997), 100 B.C.A.C. 88; 163 W.A.C. 88 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 26, 59, 70].

R. v. Sand (N.), [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. J79 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Van Der Heyden (P.), [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. J76 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Youn, Wong and Wong (1989), 109 A.R. 392 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Saunders, [1998] O.J. No. 4664 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Grossman (D.C.), [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. 53 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Nguyen (T.V.), [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. 662 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Martin (R.S.) (1997), 98 B.C.A.C. 304; 161 W.A.C. 304 (Y.T.C.A.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Ramirez, [1986] B.C.J. No. 106 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 29].

R. v. Lobon-Valencia (J.J.) (1999), 126 B.C.A.C. 272; 206 W.A.C. 272 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 29].

Pushpanathan v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (1998), 226 N.R. 201; 160 D.L.R.(4th) 193 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Savage (N.) (1994), 152 N.B.R.(2d) 383; 390 A.P.R. 383; 25 W.C.B.(2d) 167 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Turner (M.L.) (1992), 98 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 201; 311 A.P.R. 201 (P.E.I.T.D.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Downey (W.D.E.) and Predko (R.J.) (1992), 102 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 14; 323 A.P.R. 14 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Whitehead (W.D.) (1993), 127 N.S.R.(2d) 389; 355 A.P.R. 389 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Isaza (G.) (1993), 35 B.C.A.C. 217; 57 W.A.C. 217; 86 C.C.C.(3d) 19 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Lafrance (L.) (1993), 59 Q.A.C. 213; 87 C.C.C.(3d) 82 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. McLeod (R.G.) (1992), 109 Sask.R. 8; 42 W.A.C. 8; 81 C.C.C.(3d) 83 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Cavuoti (1990), 9 W.C.B.(2d) 202 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Alvarez, [1986] B.C.D. Crim. Sent. 7370-04 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 46].

R. v. Gilbertson (D.C.) (1993), 23 B.C.A.C. 157; 39 W.A.C. 157 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Sandhu (K.S.) (1994), 41 B.C.A.C. 300; 66 W.A.C. 300 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Faulds (D.A.); R. v. Tyler (A.) (1996), 94 O.A.C. 335; 111 C.C.C.(3d) 39 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Tran (V.T.) (1999), 129 B.C.A.C. 154; 210 W.A.C. 154 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 48, 59].

R. v. Quick (1989), 8 W.C.B.(2d) 628 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 49].

R. v. Honish and Lafrance (1989), 100 A.R. 79 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Dedels, [1991] B.C.D. Crim. Sent. 7362-01 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. Greenaway (R.V.) (1994), 97 Man.R.(2d) 30; 79 W.A.C. 30; 25 W.C.B.(2d) 75 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Ditson (L.A.) (1994), 51 B.C.A.C. 76; 84 W.A.C. 76 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 53].

R. v. Cheung (H.-K.) (1994), 50 B.C.A.C. 69; 82 W.A.C. 69 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 54].

R. v. Mong (B.T.) (1998), 113 B.C.A.C. 180; 184 W.A.C. 180 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Tran (Q.T.) (1994), 51 B.C.A.C. 307; 84 W.A.C. 307 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 56].

R. v. Farizeh (A.) (1994), 78 O.A.C. 399 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 57].

R. v. Bahari (M.) (1994), 78 O.A.C. 397 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 57].

R. v. Phun (G.C.) (1997), 209 A.R. 266; 160 W.A.C. 266 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Brady (J.R.) (1998), 209 A.R. 321; 160 W.A.C. 321; 121 C.C.C.(3d) 504 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 66].

R. v. J.W. (1997), 99 O.A.C. 161; 115 C.C.C.(3d) 18 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 67].

R. v. Ursel (D.A.) et al. (1997), 96 B.C.A.C. 241; 155 W.A.C. 241 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Quilty (R.) et al. (1997), 156 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 320; 483 A.P.R. 320 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 68, 73].

R. v. Ly (V.T.) and Nguyen (T.P.) (1997), 97 O.A.C. 393; 114 C.C.C.(3d) 279 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Vu (T.H.) (1998), 103 B.C.A.C. 252; 169 W.A.C. 252 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 71].

R. v. Stevens (V.J.) (1997), 115 Man.R.(2d) 300; 139 W.A.C. 300; 115 C.C.C.(3d) 372 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Gagnon (1998), 19 C.R.(5th) 194 (Que. C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Frenette (P.M.) (1997), 159 N.S.R.(2d) 81; 468 A.P.R. 81 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Brown (A.K.) (1997), 155 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 188; 481 A.P.R. 188 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Nguyen (H.N.), [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. 655 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Nguyen (T.T.) (1998), 113 B.C.A.C. 56; 184 W.A.C. 56 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Tahal (E.) (1999), 122 O.A.C. 109; 137 C.C.C.(3d) 206 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Cameron (C.M.), [1998] B.C.A.C. Uned. 171 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 74].

R. v. Russo (P.) and Vitone (M.) (1998), 114 O.A.C. 290; 42 O.R.(3d) 120 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 74].

R. v. Wellington (S.) (1999), 117 O.A.C. 283; 43 O.R.(3d) 534 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 74].

Statutes Noticed:

United Nations, Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988, 28 I.L.M. 493, [1990] Can. T.S. No. 42, generally [para. 32].

United Nations, G.A. Res. 52/92, 26 January 1998, generally [para. 36].

United Nations, International Campaign against Traffic in Drugs, G.A. Res. 41/127, 4 December 1986, generally [para. 31].

Authors and Works Noticed:

United Nations, Beware the Pitfalls of Ecstasy (Methylenedioxy and methamphetamine) (1996), 14(2) Health News 8, generally [para. 35].

United Nations, Information Series, re United Nations International Drug Control Program (April 18, 1996), generally [para. 34].

United Nations, Press Release, re United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (April 1996), generally [para. 34].

Counsel:

Ernie Froess and Paul Riley, for the Crown;

James Millar, for the accused, Michael Currie Russell;

Mark Hilford, for the accused, Brooks Farrell Grenfal.

This case was heard on September 20 and December 8 and 9, 1999, at Vancouver, British Columbia, before Romilly, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following reasons for judgment on January 10, 2000.