An undercover police operation has resulted in a Pictou County man serving a federal prison sentence.
Martin Denis Savoie, 38, was sentenced in Pictou provincial court Wednesday to 2 1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty in January to three counts of trafficking methamphetamine pills as well as possession of a spring-loaded knife and breaching a court order.
Federal Crown attorney Bronwyn Duffy told court that Savoie was arrested after arrangements were made three times in January by the Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Unit’s Sting Operation to purchase narcotics from his business, Pictou County Delivery Service.
He said police arranged for a delivery of rum and case of beer to a local hotel room on Jan. 5 in New Glasgow. A woman driving a vehicle pulled up to the hotel, went inside and left a short time later. However, she quickly returned with methamphetamine pills, otherwise know as ice.
On Jan. 9, officers with the sting operation received a phone call from Pictou County Delivery Service advising them that it had changed its phone number. Officers asked if another purchase could be made and arrangements were made for them to purchase six pills for $40 in Trenton.
On Jan. 15, similar arrangements were made for another purchase of six ice pills for $40. Duffy said the same woman made the exchange on three dates.
After the third purchase, police obtained a warrant and searched the New Glasgow residence of Savoie and his wife. He was later arrested in his vehicle where officers also seized 50 ice pills in the car door as well as a spring-loaded knife.
Savoie told police he hasn’t been selling the pills long through his delivery service but he was making about $4,000 a month from the sales. He said he did about 30 deliveries a day and the woman, his wife, who delivered the pills in January to undercover officers was doing it on his behalf.
He was charged and released on conditions, one to stay away from his wife. However, on Jan. 30, police were called to a mobile home fire in New Glasgow and soon found out that Savoie and his wife were together at the time of the fire.
Savoie told officers he was at the home with her because she was in a motor vehicle collision recently and he thought he was able to have contact with her.
He was expected to be sentenced on all charges in late February, but gave his lawyer the go-ahead to proceed to sentencing on Wednesday.
Duffy said it is positive that Savoie entered guilty pleas and took responsibility for his actions, but the public was at risk when he operated a delivery service that included drugs.
Judge Del Atwood accepted a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence for 2 1/2 years federal jail time in addition to $700 in victim surcharge fines.
