On Thursday, a Prince Albert courtroom heard how intimidation led a woman to smuggle drugs into the federal penitentiary while visiting an inmate.
Carry the Kettle band member Valerie Geddes brought seven grams of cannabis resin (also known as hash) while visiting an inmate last fall.
While saying goodbye, she slipped two packages to the inmate, who then swallowed them.
Guards who witnessed this put him into segregation and recovered the drugs.
When Geddes was questioned, she gave a full statement and was very cooperative, the Crown said.
Court heard that Geddes had not wanted any part in this – in fact, she didn’t even know what was in the two packages she brought to the prison.
She’d been pressured into visiting the prison by someone who visited her home. The inmate was a local gang member, and Geddes was frightened of what might happen if she didn’t comply.
Despite the duress she acted under, Geddes acknowledged her role in the crime, said legal aid defense, Fatima Sarwar.
On Thursday Defense and the Crown entered a joint submission for Geddes trafficking cannabis resin.
Sarwar noted that Geddes had no previous criminal record, despite being abused through much of her childhood and adulthood.
Geddes received a six-month sentence to be served in the community, must serve 20 hours of community service, receive a 10-year firearm prohibition, and must pay a $200 surcharge.
She was ordered to report to a local probation office as soon as possible.
The inmate had previously internally entered a plea to possession, court heard.