Colin Martin's out of jail

In 2018 CBC reported that "A B.C. man who ran a helicopter-based drug-smuggling ring into Washington state has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, after fighting his extradition to the U.S. for much of the past decade."

"Colin Martin, formerly of Malakwa, B.C., entered the plea on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The 46-year-old admitted he led a drug ring that sent helicopters with marijuana and MDMA - also known as ecstasy - to remote landing pads in Washington state. The drugs would be exchanged for cocaine and cash, which were flown back up to Canada." 

"U.S. authorities seized 340 kilograms of marijuana, 83 kilograms of cocaine and 240,000 ecstasy tablets when they broke up the operation in 2009 - and then-U.S. attorney Jeff Sullivan said there was likely more. 'This organization has been responsible for a much larger amount of drugs than what we were able to seize,' he said."

"The drugs were valued between $10 million and $15 million. A significant amount of cash, guns, two helicopters and other equipment was also seized."

"Six people, including Martin, were charged that year.  Two of Martin's alleged associates have since died, along with one of their girlfriends."

"Sam Brown hanged himself in a U.S. prison weeks after the bust. He'd been arrested after flying a helicopter loaded with drugs into a federal law enforcement trap."

"Jeremy Snow, 33, and his girlfriend Tiffany Goruk, 30, were killed in West Kelowna, B.C., in 2013. Snow had finished serving time in the U.S. in connection with the same drug bust."

Those are the facts. That is the truth. In court that would be called a Statement of Agreed facts. It was a huge drug operation and as CBC pointed out "He was sentenced (in Canada) to two and a half years in prison in 2007" for drug trafficking.

"He continued smuggling while he appealed by leasing or buying helicopters through a company called Gorge Timber."

Colin Martin was involved with a very large drug trafficking operation for many years and continued to do so after his first Canadian arrest. That truth is indisputable. 

He ran the operation and had pilots working for him. Two of whom are now dead. In 2018 Global reported that after his extradition Colin Martin was sentenced to 7 years.

That was astounding. Rob Shannon got 20 years, Clay Roueche got 30 years, Colin Martin got 7. As a result a lot of people claimed he must have been a rat and cooperated with the police. That would be speculation. Based on facts.

What other possible explanation could explain the light sentence? Off hand, I can't think of any. For me his 7 year sentence is a complete mystery. That is all.

So now he's out of prison loud and proud. Will he start a new life and get a real job? Let's hope so. At some point we have to take responsibility for the choices we make in life. 

The murder of Jeremy Snow and Tiffany Goruk in Kelowna was a complete tragedy as was Sam Lindsay-Brown's suicide.