A photo of the drugs seized from the vehicle Coutts was driving. (Submitted/ RCMP)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

‘My whole life was drugs’: alleged trafficker testifies at trial

Oct 29, 2025 | 3:00 PM

A man facing multiple charges related to drug trafficking, did not hesitate when he admitted to selling both cocaine and meth, but also maintained the fentanyl that was seized by police was only for personal use.

Wilson Coutts, 42, testified in his own defence Wednesday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court.

In late December, 2023, a traffic stop in Big River resulted in the seizure of 450 grams of cocaine, 285 grams of meth, 111 LSD blotters, and 63 grams of an unknown substance investigators suspected at the time to contain fentanyl. There was also over $2,400 in cash.

Coutts, who grew up in Big River, was living out in B.C. when the COVID pandemic occurred. After his construction business went under, he began spending more time at home and turned to drugs to cope with depression.

“I started with cocaine. It was kind of a weekend thing,” he explained, adding through the people he was associating with, he then began using meth and eventually fentanyl.

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In an effort to get clean, Coutts travelled back to Big River in 2022 and moved in with his father who was dealing with health issues.

Plans to move back to B.C. and restart his business went off the rails after the death of a close friend and business partner in a car accident. It was not long after Coutts began using drugs again.

“It impacted me greatly,” Coutts said.

In May 2023 Coutts, who was still clean of opioids, purchased a vehicle from a friend who had been sent to jail. Upon inspecting the vehicle wheel well area, Coutts found a stash of fentanyl which he held onto for a few days before succumbing to his addiction and smoking it.

Initially paying $20 a day and using a gram a day, Coutts estimated at the peak of his addiction he was spending between $150 to $200 a day. Withing just a few hours after taking it, Coutts was experiencing withdrawals.

To pay for his drug addiction, Coutts was making regular trips back to B.C., picking up drugs and then selling them in the Big River area. Because all his living expenses were covered, Coutts spent the money he made on drugs and gambling.

“My whole life was drugs,” he said.

Coutts who also acknowledged the risks associated with fentanyl, said he was always very careful and never sold it to anyone, fearing they may not be as diligent. He also stated he made sure no one else in the community was selling it.

“I’m kinda proud of that fact,” he said.

With respect to the cocaine and meth, Coutts testified he would sell a gram of cocaine for $70 and a gram of meth for $30.

When asked by Crown prosecutor Margaret Sproule about the stash of drugs found in the vehicle, Coutts stated he had only a small clientele and so most of the drugs he brought back were just stockpiled. Coutts was also asked if he owed people money.

“If I had to guess I’d say around $16,000,” he said.

When asked about the LSD that was found, Coutts said he had bought it from a friend who was planning to sell a larger supply at a music festival; and he wanted some around just in case he ever needed it.

The case is now in the hands of Judge Healey, who adjourned his decision to Jan. 5.

Also charged was Marcia McMahon who was a passenger in the vehicle and was carrying a bag containing drugs.

She was sentenced last March and entered guilty pleas to possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and meth. She received a one-year sentence (time served) plus six months probation.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell