Superior Court of Justice hands down stiff penalty in major Northwestern Ontario drug case
FORT FRANCES, ON – News – A Fort Frances man was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after being convicted of possessing fentanyl and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
The ruling, delivered by Justice J.S. Fregeau in the Superior Court of Justice, reflects the severity of the offences, particularly given the devastating impact of fentanyl on communities across Northwestern Ontario.
In many cases, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, criminal cases have been backed up and in some cases end up being either dismissed or charges withdrawn because they take so long. In this case the judgement reflects the seriousness of the crime.
The opioid crisis in Northern Ontario is a clearly major problem, and in making this ruling Justice J.S. Fregeau is setting a powerful precident.
Large Drug Seizure After Crash Leads to Conviction
Jeremy Johnson, 50, was found guilty by a jury on April 11, 2024, of three offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, including:
- Possession of 448.6 grams of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of 89.7 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
- Unlawful possession of cocaine
The charges stem from an incident on November 18, 2020, when Johnson’s Dodge Ram truck crashed and rolled in an unorganized area of the Rainy River District. Police responding to the accident found a cloth shopping bag inside a work jacket under the vehicle, which contained a brick of fentanyl and multiple packages of cocaine.
Sentencing Reflects Severity of Fentanyl Crisis in the Region
Justice Fregeau highlighted the extreme danger of fentanyl, stating that it has devastated vulnerable communities and is a major contributor to the opioid crisis in Northern Ontario.
“Your choice to contribute to the distribution of a lethal drug across this region demonstrates a reckless disregard for human life and increases the seriousness of both your offending behaviour and your moral culpability. For that, you must be held accountable,” Justice Fregeau said in court.
The 2023 opioid toxicity mortality rate for Thunder Bay was the highest in Ontario, and the Northwestern Health Unit region, including Fort Frances, ranked fifth.
Court Rejects Leniency Request, Issues 11-Year Sentence
The Crown had argued for a 10-12 year sentence, citing the high street value of the seized drugs—up to $538,000 for the fentanyl alone.
The defence requested a conditional sentence of two years less a day, citing Johnson’s family responsibilities and the fact that he had been on house arrest for over three years.
The judge in the case said, regarding the defendant’s hardship under house arrest, “I strongly reject the accused’s submission that a sentence, net of credit for pre-trial custody and net of a Downes credit, of two years less a day, to be served in the community pursuant to a conditional sentence order, would achieve the sentencing objectives of denunciation and deterrence. Such a sentence would be grossly disproportionate to the gravity of the offences and the degree of responsibility of the accused”.
The court dismissed claims that Johnson was merely a low-level drug runner and ruled that he was a “mid-level” trafficker in the fentanyl trade.
Final Sentence:
- 10 years for fentanyl trafficking
- 18 months for cocaine trafficking (consecutive)
- 30 days for cocaine possession (concurrent)
- 11 years total, with a slight reduction for time served and house arrest
Johnson will serve his sentence in a federal penitentiary. He is also subject to a 10-year weapons prohibition, a DNA order, and the forfeiture of all seized drugs and paraphernalia.
