St. John’s pharmacist Ann Marie Burke was sentenced to more than two years in prison today on drug trafficking charges and for breaching court orders.
Last week Burke pleaded guilty to the drug-traffickiing charges and was to be sentenced next month. However, she was charged this week with four counts of breaching court orders and was taken into custody.
Today, in what was expected to be a brief court appearance for a status update on the case, turned into a sentencing hearing after Burke pleaded guilty to two breach of court order charges. The Crown withdrew the remaining two.
The pharmacist was sentenced to two years plus a day on the drug trafficking-related charges, and 39 days consecutive on the two court order breaches.
She also received 26 days credit for time served leaving two years and four days of the sentence to serve.
Burke’s lawyer, Jon Noonan, told the court Burke has a history of alcoholism that she has battled all of her life, and became addicted to pain killers following a car accident.
"She's remorseful, embarassed and humiliated," Noonon told the court. "This has affected her relationship with her family and she's lost her career. She's accepted responsibility for what she's done."
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(Earlier story)
A St. John’s pharmacist who pleaded guilty last week to drug trafficking charges is back behind bars. Ann Marie Burke returned to provincial court Wednesday afternoon.
She was arrested Tuesday at a bar in a downtown hotel.
The 55-year-old has been charged with four counts of breaching court orders — two for failing to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and one each for being in an establishment that sells alcohol and failing to notify police of a change in address. She was reportedly supposed to be living in Brigus with a family member.
Burke had been sent for a psychiatric assessment Tuesday. On Wednesday, Judge Joseph Woodrow indicated that Burke was deemed mentally fit to stand trial.
Burke’s lawyer, Jon Noonan, and Crown prosecutor John Brooks agreed to set the case over until today. Noonan has made no decision on whether there will be a bail hearing at that time.
Last week in provincial court, Burke pleaded guilty to five charges, which were laid earlier this year when police reportedly discovered she had been dealing illegal drugs.
Those charges include one count of illegal possession of oxycodone; one count of illegal possession of morphine; one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking in methadone; one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking in Ritalin; and one count of possession of marijuana.
Burke, who was a pharmacist at Downtown Pharmacy on Water Street, has a sentencing hearing set for Nov. 21-22.
She was first taken into custody Jan. 19, with much media attention, after RNC officers raided her apartment on LeMarchant Road and reportedly found more than 1,200 prescription narcotics, along with 30 grams of marijuana.
Also seized was $2,100 in cash, weapons — bear spray and a stun gun — and three laptop computers.
Burke was released from custody on several conditions on Feb. 10.
In January, she was suspended by the pharmacy board.
rgillingham@thetelegram.com
Twitter: TelyCourt
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Mary , I don't know if you were referring to my post , I never made alot of accusations , Anne MArie Burke had been proven guilty and the other two pharmacists I mentioned , I never said they were guilty , I said they were accused , I never made any "accusations" I merely stated that there alot of pharmacist out there with drinking problems , no more than any other profession (which I should have said) but it is an extremely stressful job (ask any pharmacist) and I know some pharmacist in chronic pain but they make a choice to take their pian medication from a doctor and they take them as prescribed , I see nothing wrong with my post , I have accused nobody of anything , I simply stated that there is a choice to be made everyday and 99 % of the phramacist I know are honest and VERY hard working , but she was found guilty , couldn't even keep her bail conditions.I see nothing wrong with my post if in fact that is the one you were referring to , what bothers me is that she' has dirtied the name of a profession i loved for 23 years before I had to stop for medical reasons and she had sullied the name of a lot of great people in that profession , who work 2 12 hour shifts every second weekend and work like dogs during the week , that's what hurts me the most , and Anne Marie , if you read this , I really hope you get the help you need , I have no idea how a bright girl like yourself got into this mess but I sincerely hope you get the help you desperatley need