Manitoba Hells Angels president Ernie Dew has been found guilty on all his charges.
Last month, Dew conceded the Crown had proved its case for six of the seven offences — three counts each of drug trafficking and possessing proceeds of crime — that he was charged with in February 2006, when he was picked up along with 12 other bikers and associates in Project Defence.
This morning, Justice Brenda Keyser also found Dew guilty of the seventh offence — a cocaine deal at his St. Andrews home that involved his wife, but was orchestrated by the biker boss before he went on a hunting trip. In every case, the man buying the cocaine was police informant Franco Atanasovic. That fact may or may not keep Dew out of jail despite being guilty on every charge, because his co-counsel Sarah Inness filed a rare motion last month alleging Dew was the victim of a police entrapment scheme. If Keyser decides there was indeed entrapment, all seven of Dew's charges will be stayed and he will be free, as the ruling would effectively nullify the findings of guilt that were proven during the trial. If she denies the entrapment argument, Dew will be convicted and sentenced on all seven counts.
Last month, Dew conceded the Crown had proved its case for six of the seven offences — three counts each of drug trafficking and possessing proceeds of crime — that he was charged with in February 2006, when he was picked up along with 12 other bikers and associates in Project Defence.
This morning, Justice Brenda Keyser also found Dew guilty of the seventh offence — a cocaine deal at his St. Andrews home that involved his wife, but was orchestrated by the biker boss before he went on a hunting trip. In every case, the man buying the cocaine was police informant Franco Atanasovic. That fact may or may not keep Dew out of jail despite being guilty on every charge, because his co-counsel Sarah Inness filed a rare motion last month alleging Dew was the victim of a police entrapment scheme. If Keyser decides there was indeed entrapment, all seven of Dew's charges will be stayed and he will be free, as the ruling would effectively nullify the findings of guilt that were proven during the trial. If she denies the entrapment argument, Dew will be convicted and sentenced on all seven counts.
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