Man from Mexico sentenced to 14 years for drug trafficking in Winnipeg

A man from Mexico who says he came to Canada desperate to find work was sentenced to 14 years in prison Monday for trafficking high volumes of fentanyl in Winnipeg. 

Juan Abad Casimiro Perez pleaded guilty to possessing close to two kilograms of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking and possessing a restricted firearm that was loaded. 

He was arrested last October alongside his common-law spouse, whom he came to Canada with on a six-month visa last year not long before the arrest. Her charges were stayed after Casimiro Perez pleaded guilty. 

Federal Crown prosecutor Raegan Rankin said Casimiro Perez began trafficking within weeks of arriving in Canada, which played into the lengthy sentence. 

"It is aggravating that Mr. Casimiro and his wife came to Canada and immediately embarked in drug dealing," she said. 

Winnipeg police began investigating Casimiro Perez after receiving a tip that he was selling drugs. Officers observed him selling drugs around the city, Rankin told the court. 

They obtained a search warrant for his residence, where they found close to nine kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of fentanyl, about 750 pills that were later determined to be fake Percocet and a loaded Glock handgun and ammunition.

They also seized close to $50,000 in cash, plus packaging materials. 

Came to Canada looking for work: lawyer

His lawyer, Kate Smith, said Casimiro Perez had served in the Mexican army for seven years, but had to leave after being redeployed to Mexico City, where the pay was so low he couldn't afford to live on it. 

After trying for months to find other work, Casimiro Perez and his spouse were approached by someone who said they could get work in Canada cleaning and painting rental properties. 

But when they arrived, they were told there weren't any positions available for them but they could get work "taking things from place to place," Smith said. 

Smith said Casimiro Perez realized what he was doing was illegal but was unaware of the serious consequences. 

"He will now pay an extraordinary price considering he has never been incarcerated before," Smith said. 

However, provincial court Judge Margaret Wiebe questioned that narrative. 

"I find it difficult to believe that someone who had been in Canada for one month, invited by someone you did not know, would have the faith of those people to have this amount of drugs and this amount of cash in your house," she said. 

"The experience of the court is that someone doesn't go from zero involvement to that level of involvement in the drug trade in that period of time on the basis of the facts that I've been told."

Wiebe said she appreciated that life in Mexico was difficult, "but this is not an alternative."

Speaking through a translator, Casimiro Perez said he was incredibly remorseful for his actions and owes an apology to the City of Winnipeg. 

His spouse, who had been in custody since her October arrest, was released Friday and is heading back to Mexico, court heard.