A Toronto man sentenced Tuesday for his participation in a cross -border operation of cocaine and methamphetamine of $ 36 million told the Windsor court, Ontario, who needed to be arrested as an exit from criminal activity.
The Judge of the Superior Court Paul Howard sentenced Marvin Watson to 16 years in prison, which was a joint submission of the crown and defense. The time after the bars amounts to 14 years and five months after deducting the time served, the conditions of the crowded jail and the strict bail rules.
The 32 -year -old expressed remorse while spoke briefly with the judge.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m just a hungry guy in money. I simply got into a situation and I thought that the best way out was to arrest,” said Watson, who had no previous criminal record.
In September, Watson declared himself guilty of:
- Importing methamphetamine and cocaine.
- Two positions of possession of methamphetamine with the purpose of traffic.
- Crime washing.
- Possess the property obtained by a crime.
In January, Howard allowed the sentence to be delayed until July because Watson was about to become a father for the first time.
The woman who carried her son, Maria Kiguru, was also part of the criminal drug ring. He declared himself guilty on September 6 of the income of the washing crime and received a two -year conditional sentence.
CBSA found methamphetamine on the Windsor-Michigan bridge
It all started in March 2023 when the officers of the Canada Border Services Agency found 300 kg of methamphetamine inside a semi truck on the ambassadors bridge between Windsor and Detroit.
RCMP began an investigation and then found 120 kg of cocaine inside a truck, they said Watson was driving. More drugs were found in a residence.
“There is no fentanyl. There is no hero. There are no weapons or weapons of any kind,” defense lawyer Frank said in court on Tuesday.
Both parties also agreed that Watson was more than a messenger in drug operation, but less than a master mind
Challenging shed some light in the courts on how Watson began in the pharmaceutical industry, pointing out difficult employment opportunities in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Challenging said his client “innocently sufficiently” began in the “marijuana distribution business.”
A lot of cannabis would come from California and press at Watson’s house, he said.
‘Arrested or what is the other alternative’
At one point, there was a robbery, and Challenge said that Watson “borrowed” with the person who was giving him direction. Finally, the operation evolved in Watson driving harder drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
“I was stuck,” he said. “Stop or what is the other alternative.
“It is a sad comment when a defendant has to say that I had to be arrested to continue and, hopefully, be released from custody and live my life with my family.”