 | A Saskatoon man caught with 138 fentanyl pills in his home and garage has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Nathan Arthur Marsland, 28, pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking. His remaining charges — including several weapons offences and possession of methamphetamine and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking — were stayed in exchange for the plea. The B.C. Court of Appeal has ruled that given the devastating impact of the fentanyl crisis, those convicted of trafficking the drug should face tougher sentences. The current sentencing range is between six and 12 months in prison. A panel of B.C. Court of Appeal judges said a sentence of between 18 and 36 months is more suitable. |
 | In a written decision issued earlier this week, the justices highlighted the enormity of the crisis. "Fentanyl is a scourge. It poses intolerable risks." In January, Walter James McCormick — who already had an extended history of drug trafficking — was sentenced to 14 years in prison. A Victoria pharmacy that provides free testing of street drugs has found more than 90 per cent of the samples it has tested contain some amount of fentanyl. |
