Morneau, 32, Christian Laurin, 19, and Alan Mulder, 19, are accused of smuggling 130 pounds of Ecstasy into the state of Montana
Morneau, 32, Christian Laurin, 19, and Alan Mulder, 19, are accused of smuggling 130 pounds of Ecstasy into the state of Montana. Convictions would carry mandatory minimum sentences of a decade, and a maximum of life with no chance of parole.
Documents filed in district court show the trio was pulled over Feb. 9 by state troopers while driving on an interstate highway in Montana. Police say inconsistencies in statements given by the three suspects led the troopers to search the vehicle, and three duffel bags containing the Ecstasy pills were seized.
Morneau told police he had hauled the bags across the Canada-U.S. border by snowmobile, according to the court documents. Police also allege Morneau told them the teenagers were knowing participants, and were to be paid $1,000 for their involvement. Morneau allegedly told police he was being paid $5,000 -- from an unidentified source -- to take the bags over the border and that his accomplices were to be paid out of his take. All three accused face charges of possession with the intent to distribute.At a preliminary hearing held Friday in Billings, Montana, a judge determined there was probable cause to hold the trio. They'll most likely spend the week there before being moved to a federal facility in nearby Shelby.
Under the U.S. "speedy trial" law, the government has 70 days to begin trial proceedings, but the court-appointed defence lawyer for Laurin, David Merchant, said the government now must indict the three, which would start the trial clock again. No plea has been entered by any of the men, Merchant said. Merchant said the teenagers could be exempted from the 10-year mandatory minimum based on a first-offence "safety valve" that exists in U.S. law, should the amount of drugs alleged to be involved turn out to be less.Merchant said he's still waiting on lab reports to verify the exact amount of Ecstacy in the duffel bags.Merchant also said he sees serious problems with the case so far, and wonders why police pulled the three over for a broken headlight at 7:50 a.m.
"There's some things that don't add up -- they were pulled over for another reason," Merchant said. Winnipeg police said Mulder was reported missing by family on Tuesday.
He had told family he was travelling to Mall of America in Minneapolis.
Laurin's Facebook profile indicates his friends are aware of his situation -- he had been active on the social networking site up until Wednesday of last week.
He listed his favourite activities as "working out every day and spending money."
By 4:30 p.m. Friday, his profile had been pulled down, but a friend of Laurin said the teenagers are friends who had known each other for a couple of years.
Morneau is a self-employed mechanic who is no stranger to the local Hells Angels, who often come to him to fix their bikes, justice sources said.He's also become well known in the courts recently.Morneau currently faces drug charges stemming from a May 2007 arrest. Winnipeg police stopped a car in which Morneau was a passenger and seized 76 Percocet pills and 30 rocks of crack cocaine,He was also charged with possessing an illegal metal baton and found to be carrying several cellphones. Police and the Crown alleged Morneau was working as a local "dial-a-dealer." He has denied the allegations.
At the time of his drug arrest, Morneau had been free on bail pending sentencing for his role in an unusual theft ring.
Morneau was nabbed in July 2006 and admitted to breaking into several semi-trailers parked in locked compounds on the edge of the city. He stole several items including 800 pounds of ground beef, $2,500 in beer and $400 worth of McDonald's products, court was told.Morneau was supposed to be sentenced for those crimes in early 2007 but the case was delayed when he failed to show up for a court-ordered meeting with his probation officer.
Documents filed in district court show the trio was pulled over Feb. 9 by state troopers while driving on an interstate highway in Montana. Police say inconsistencies in statements given by the three suspects led the troopers to search the vehicle, and three duffel bags containing the Ecstasy pills were seized.
Morneau told police he had hauled the bags across the Canada-U.S. border by snowmobile, according to the court documents. Police also allege Morneau told them the teenagers were knowing participants, and were to be paid $1,000 for their involvement. Morneau allegedly told police he was being paid $5,000 -- from an unidentified source -- to take the bags over the border and that his accomplices were to be paid out of his take. All three accused face charges of possession with the intent to distribute.At a preliminary hearing held Friday in Billings, Montana, a judge determined there was probable cause to hold the trio. They'll most likely spend the week there before being moved to a federal facility in nearby Shelby.
Under the U.S. "speedy trial" law, the government has 70 days to begin trial proceedings, but the court-appointed defence lawyer for Laurin, David Merchant, said the government now must indict the three, which would start the trial clock again. No plea has been entered by any of the men, Merchant said. Merchant said the teenagers could be exempted from the 10-year mandatory minimum based on a first-offence "safety valve" that exists in U.S. law, should the amount of drugs alleged to be involved turn out to be less.Merchant said he's still waiting on lab reports to verify the exact amount of Ecstacy in the duffel bags.Merchant also said he sees serious problems with the case so far, and wonders why police pulled the three over for a broken headlight at 7:50 a.m.
"There's some things that don't add up -- they were pulled over for another reason," Merchant said. Winnipeg police said Mulder was reported missing by family on Tuesday.
He had told family he was travelling to Mall of America in Minneapolis.
Laurin's Facebook profile indicates his friends are aware of his situation -- he had been active on the social networking site up until Wednesday of last week.
He listed his favourite activities as "working out every day and spending money."
By 4:30 p.m. Friday, his profile had been pulled down, but a friend of Laurin said the teenagers are friends who had known each other for a couple of years.
Morneau is a self-employed mechanic who is no stranger to the local Hells Angels, who often come to him to fix their bikes, justice sources said.He's also become well known in the courts recently.Morneau currently faces drug charges stemming from a May 2007 arrest. Winnipeg police stopped a car in which Morneau was a passenger and seized 76 Percocet pills and 30 rocks of crack cocaine,He was also charged with possessing an illegal metal baton and found to be carrying several cellphones. Police and the Crown alleged Morneau was working as a local "dial-a-dealer." He has denied the allegations.
At the time of his drug arrest, Morneau had been free on bail pending sentencing for his role in an unusual theft ring.
Morneau was nabbed in July 2006 and admitted to breaking into several semi-trailers parked in locked compounds on the edge of the city. He stole several items including 800 pounds of ground beef, $2,500 in beer and $400 worth of McDonald's products, court was told.Morneau was supposed to be sentenced for those crimes in early 2007 but the case was delayed when he failed to show up for a court-ordered meeting with his probation officer.
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