St. John’s man who sold cocaine to undercover cop sentenced to 10 years in prison | CBC News

A 59-year-old St. John’s man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for multiple drug-related offences linked to trafficking incidents, including selling drugs at a Walmart, at a hotel, and to an undercover police officer, over a two-month period.

Gary Mulrooney pleaded guilty in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court to all 11 counts on seven separate indictments that stretched from November 2020 to May of this year.

Charges included six counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking — four involving cocaine, one involving fentanyl and one involving benzimidazole — one count of trafficking in cocaine, one count of possession of the proceeds of crime, which was possession of over $163,000 in cash, and three counts of failure to comply with a release order. At the time of the offences, Mulrooney was on parole after serving time for similar offences.

The court accepted a joint submission of a global sentence of 10 years’ incarceration for all offences together with ancillary orders.

“Although we may not have a face of a specific victim before the court on these matters, make no mistake there are many faceless victims of Mr. Mulrooney’s offences,” Justice Sandra Chaytor wrote in her decision.

“The cost to society with respect to the distribution of hard substances such as cocaine, fentanyl and benzimidazole is both high and devastating. Trafficking in such substances is the root of many societal problems. Such offences often involve preying upon the most vulnerable people in our society including people who suffer from addictions.”

Chaytor said Mulrooney’s admission of guilt demonstrated that he takes responsibility for his actions and accepted it as a sincere expression of remorse.

Mulrooney does not have an extensive criminal record but he was convicted on drug charges in 2016, which landed him a seven-year prison sentence. That was part of a joint RCMP and RNC drug investigation called Operation Turbulence, which led to the arrest of eight people after drug seizures on the northeast Avalon Peninsula, Quebec and in Labrador West.

“Ten years’ incarceration is a significant sentence. It reflects the gravity of the offences. It is a substantial portion of Mr. Mulrooney’s remaining life expectancy,” wrote Chaytor. 

“I cannot conclude, however, that the proposed sentence is such that to impose it would be contrary to the public interest or would bring the administration of justice into disrepute.”

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