Craig Oldford, 48, of Labrador City; and Todd Bixby, 38, of Wabush both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in Wabush court last week.
Both men asked for a pre-sentence report to be completed and are scheduled to return to court for sentencing this summer. Oldford is scheduled to return to court on June 26 and Bixby is scheduled to return on July 10. The mimimum sentence for the charge they pleased guilty to is one year in prison. Other charges against the duo are expected to be dropped at sentencing as part of a plea deal.
They are two of the eight people arrested in Operation Turbulence, a province-wide drug sting that saw people arrested in Wabush, St. John’s Labrador City and Paradise.
Jean St. Marie, 59, of Labrador City was sentenced to 27 months in prison in Happy Valley-Goose Bay court on June 29 for his role in the trafficking operation. He pleaded guilty to trafficking in a controlled substance and was also ordered to submit his DNA and is banned from owning a firearm for 10 years.
Gary Mulrooney, 50, of Labrador City, had already been sentenced for his role in the drug trafficking operation and got seven years. He pleaded guilty in May of 2016 to charges of possession and trafficking of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Operation Turbulence netted approximately 5 kilograms of cocaine, 2,200 methamphetamine pills (commonly known as Ice) and $100,000 in cash in 2015. Drug paraphernalia including cellphones, a cocaine press and 27 kilograms of a cutting agent were also confiscated.
The street value of the drugs was estimated at $600,000.
David Fowler, 31, Labrador City; Michael Burton, 30 of Paradise; Kimberley Montague, 37 of Labrador City and Martin Sinard, 58, of Saint Hubert, Que. were also charged and are still in the court process.
