Pubdate: Wed, 11 Sep 2002
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Kevin Martin

DRUG CHARGES DROPPED

Edmonton Firefighter Testifies For Prosecution

CALGARY -- Drug charges against an Edmonton firefighter were dropped 
yesterday, moments before he became a witness for the prosecution.

Michael Prangley had been accused of possession of marijuana for the 
purpose of trafficking and cultivating the drug in connection with a Feb. 
21, 2001 bust in Calgary.

But Crown prosecutor Bob Sigurdson dropped those charges and then called 
Prangley as a witness against his former co-accused, Monah Boury.

Prangley testified he kept a business suite in southeast Calgary which 
contained about 100 immature "clone" marijuana plants when police raided 
it. He said it was accessible to Boury.

Prangley told Sigurdson that Boury was the only person with a key and alarm 
code to the suite and he hadn't been to the premises himself for at least 
four days.

The Edmonton firefighter used the suite for his T-shirt artworks company, 
Anteater Play Studios.

Prangley was charged following a police raid at 3628 Burnsland Rd. S.E. 
which netted 127 plants worth an estimated $177,800.

Const. Iwan Munnikhuis said he obtained a search warrant for the building 
after police received a Crime Stoppers tip.

Munnikhuis testified he climbed on top of the building in the early morning 
hours of Feb. 21 and through a vent detected the smell of growing marijuana.

After being spotted by an occupant of the building, he and his partner 
climbed down from the roof and went to get a warrant to search the interior.

Defence lawyer Jim Conley is challenging the legality of the warrant.

Prangley is expected to be cross-examined by Conley today.
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MAP posted-by: Beth