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N.B. woman receives jail time for drug charges

Mar 12, 2018 | 2:00 PM

A North Battleford woman received three years in custody for possessing methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin for the purpose of trafficking.

Rebecca Paules, also known as Vermette, appeared in North Battleford provincial court via video link March 7. Federal Crown prosecutor Vic Findlater said RCMP seized a variety of illegal substances from Paules’ vehicle during a traffic stop on Highway 16 near North Battleford Dec. 7, 2016. They also confiscated a cell phone, laptop and scales from the vehicle.   

Defence Lawyer Andrew Lister said the amounts seized were not exceptionally large, but conceded the cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin found in Paules’ vehicle amounted to a “substantial quantity of drugs.” Lister said his client entered early guilty plea and did not have previous convictions for drug-related charges. Paules only recently become involved in the business of selling drugs, he said, and was trying to make positive changes in her life.

When she addressed the court prior to sentencing, Paules said she said she had been dealing with some challenges and “forgot to look after me.”