A River John man has been sentenced to pay more than $2,000 in fines for producing marijuana and other weapon related charges.
Kenneth Arnold Langille was sentenced in Pictou provincial court Monday after pleading guilty to one count of production of marijuana as well as seven weapon-related charges that include improper storage of firearms and ammunition as well as having the serial number removed from a firearm and owning a firearm knowing he didn’t have a licence.
Federal Crown attorney Bronwyn Duffy told the court that the Pictou County Street Crime Unit received a tip in early June that Langille had a large number of marijuana plants on his property.
On June 20, 2017, police executed a warrant to search Langille’s home and outbuildings on the property. Officers did receive information that Langille had a medical licence to grow marijuana but the amount found was in excess of his licence requirements.
Police seized a total of 269 plants from various locations on the property including inside the home and a barn. Five plants outside home were not seized because Langille’s licence allows him to grow up to five plants outdoors.
Four weapons were also seized by the police and provincial Crown attorney Jody MacNeill said one on of the firearms had a bullet in the chamber and two in the magazine.
Duffy added that Langille had a dated criminal record and there was no evidence to suggest he was growing the plants for the purpose of trafficking.
“He does have a licence, but he is way over the limit,” she said.
Defence lawyer Doug Lloy said his client lives on a disability pension and has the support of his spouse and children. He earns a small income from fishing that is allowed under his pension requirements but he is a victim of chronic pain and has issues with anxiety.
Both the Crown and defence agreed that fines were suitable punishment for such offences, to which the court agreed.
Langille was sentenced to $1,000 for the drug production offence as well as a $300 victim surcharge in addition to $100 or each of the seven weapon-related charges. He must also pay a $30 victim surcharge for each of these offences. In total, Langille’s fines came to $2,210.
In addition, a forfeiture order was issued by court for the weapons, ammunition and drugs and a 10-year firearm prohibition was put in place.
