Pubdate: Sat, 18 Jul 2015
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: 
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Alicja Siekierska
Page: A7

CORRECTIONS OFFICER GETS FOUR YEARS IN DRUG CASE

A former correctional officer sobbed in Edmonton court Friday as a 
judge sentenced him to four years in prison for possessing drugs he 
intended to smuggle to inmates.

Thomas Kyle Black, 32, pleaded guilty in May to three counts of 
possession for the purpose of trafficking. Provincial court Judge 
Elizabeth Johnson accepted a joint submission from the Crown and 
defence Friday that called for a four-year sentence.

"I'd just like to say I'm so sorry to my friends and family and, most 
of all, to my former coworkers for letting them down," Black said 
before eventually breaking down in tears. "I'm sorry."

Black's girlfriend wiped away tears in the nearby front row as he was 
taken into custody.

According to an agreed statement of facts, in March 2014 Peace River 
Correctional Centre staff recorded several telephone conversations 
between an inmate and a civilian who said a correctional officer was 
going to smuggle pills, methamphetamine, marijuana and tobacco into 
the facility. Staff then contacted the Alberta Law Enforcement 
Response Teams. On March 26, 2014, ALERT officers set up a 
surveillance operation at the Peace River grocery store parking lot 
where the correctional officer, later identified as Black, was to 
receive a package of illegal drugs.

While Black went into the grocery store, police witnessed a woman 
approach his truck, place a package in the bed and return to a car 
driven by another woman. Less than 10 minutes later, Black returned 
to his vehicle and was seen checking the bed of the truck before 
driving to a nearby Wal-Mart. Police arrested Black and the two women 
in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Officers later discovered two packages in the truck bed. The first 
contained two oxycodone pills, marijuana, methamphetamine and the 
second had marijuana, methamphetamine and tobacco. The institutional 
value of the drugs was pegged at $9,618.

Black later told police he had been asked by a prisoner to smuggle 
the items into the facility. The plan was devised by another inmate, 
although Black never had direct communication with him. Black was 
told he would receive money to smuggle in the drugs, but wasn't aware 
of an exact amount.

Black started working at the Peace River facility in September 2012. 
Defence lawyer Daniel Chivers said Black had never missed a day of 
work and had good relationships with his colleagues. Chivers told 
court Black's supervisors were "shocked" when they learned of his involvement.

Crown prosecutor James Johnson said the significant aggravating 
factor was that Black committed the offences as a correctional 
officer, "resulting in a serious breach of trust."

Chivers said there was a "lack of explanation" for why he decided to 
commit the offence. Black did not have a prior criminal record.
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