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BARRHEAD - A woman now residing in Fort Assiniboine received a 15-day sentence for drug possession.
Justice Carrie-Ann Downey sentenced Gileen Charlotte Mills, 39, to the jail term, accepting a joint submission from the Crown and defence, during June 25's Barrhead Court of Justice session.
However, since Mills had already served 10 days in custody after receiving 1.5 enhanced credits, she is in a time-served situation.
Downey also ordered the forfeiture of any items seized during the police investigation and waived the victim fine surcharge.
The Crown also withdrew three other drug possession charges, mischief over $5,000, and possession of a break-in instrument charges.
The facts
Crown prosecutor Brett Grierson said on Oct. 2, 2023, police responded to a report by OnStar (a General Motors vehicle communication subscription service) that a vehicle had been stolen earlier in the day from Westlock Motors.
Eventually, he noted that OnStar disabled the vehicle, allowing RCMP members to arrest the four occupants, including Mills.
Grierson added that Mills was in one of the rear passenger seats, and police observed a duffle bag near her seat. The bag contained Mills' driver's licence, court documents, and other papers, as well as her name, e-mail, and phone number.
"There were also various drugs inside the duffle bag, including methamphetamine," he said, adding that police also found Mills' phone on the rear passenger seat near some drug pipes and other drug paraphernalia.
Grierson said the Crown was seeking 15 days straight jail time as part of the joint submission.
He added that the accused had spent 10 "real days" in jail, and at 1.5 days enhanced credit, Mills would be in a time-served situation.
Grierson also noted that Mills had a relatively limited criminal record, including more recently, three charges in 2022 for assault of a police officer. He also stated she had multiple failing to comply convictions but that this was Mills' first drug charge.
Downey asked how much methamphetamine was found.
Defence counsel Traci Overacker replied 26.7 grams.
The defence
Overacker said her client, born in Barrhead, came from a troubled home, adding that at 14, Children and Family Services (CFS) removed Mills from her home, placing her into foster care in Onoway, where she stayed until she was 17.
She added that her client completed Grade 11 and part of Grade 12 at Onoway High School, has some post-secondary heavy equipment training, and that she has also worked in that field.
Overacker said Mills also completed her Level 1 early childhood certificate training.
"She also has a 20-year-old son in Edmonton with whom she has a fairly good relationship, and her mother still resides in Barrhead, and her father is in Pickardville," she said.
Overacker added that at the time of the offence, Mills suffered from a fentanyl and methamphetamine addiction and that in 2022, she went through treatment and that she continues to attend regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
"[Mills] has been clean for nearly nine months, ever since the offence," she said, adding that her client currently lives in Fort Assiniboine with a friend and works part-time for her.
Overacker added that her client also spends a lot of time in Barrhead helping her elderly mother, who requires 24-hour home care.
Justice Downey credited Mills for her efforts to turn her life around.
"Which is remarkable, given the nature of substances that you were addicted to," she said. "Those are not easy drugs to overcome. Being in a courtroom every day and seeing the kind of drugs that cause the havoc that they do, the drugs you were addicted to were pretty serious."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
