Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
City drug smuggler jailed 20 years
Hells associate nabbed in Montana
Morneau (HANDOUT)
A United States judge sentenced a Winnipeg man to 20 years in jail Thursday for his role in a cross-border smuggling trip.
Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull sentenced Timothy Morneau, a Manitoba Hells Angel associate, for his role in what Montana police said was one of the biggest ecstasy drug busts in the history of the state.
In February 2008, state troopers pulled over Morneau and two then-19-year-old Winnipeggers, Christian Laurin and Alan Mulder, on an Interstate highway near Glendive, Montana.
Officers said they made the stop due to a burned-out headlight.
Police said inconsistent statements by the three men lead officers to search the car, where they found three duffel bags containing nearly 224,000 ecstasy pills. Laurin and Mulder testified against Morneau in January.
Both told court that Morneau, who is in his early 30s, was the lead player in the drug-smuggling trip. They also said they had quick money in mind when they agreed to give a ride to Morneau, only hours after they met him.
Within days, a Montana jury found Morneau guilty on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute ecstasy and possession with the intent to distribute ecstasy. Morneau received a 20-year sentence Thursday.
"Twenty years is a long time," said David Duke, a Billings, Montana defence attorney who represents Morneau. "It's a solemn day."
Duke said they'll appeal the ruling, a 10- to 12-month process.
Morneau did not testify during his trial. However, he told police after his arrest he smuggled the drugs for a $5,000 fee and paid Mulder and Laurin to drive him.
Police testified Morneau said he drove a snowmobile across the border with the drugs before Laurin and Mulder picked him up in North Dakota. Duke said the 20-year sentence is extremely serious because under U.S. federal law there is no parole.
Morneau would be eligible to get his time reduced based on good behaviour. But Duke said that cannot be more than 15 per cent of the 20 year sentence, or a total of three years.
gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca
What led to 20 years of hard time?
FEB. 9, 2008: Montana state troopers pull over a car and find three duffel bags containing 68 kilograms of ecstasy.
Three Winnipeg men including Timothy Morneau, then 32, are arrested and face charges.
JULY 2008: Lawyers for all three men say the search of Alan Mulder's Volkswagen Golf was illegal and move to get evidence thrown out.
JAN. 2, 2009: A judge rules the evidence seized at the traffic stop can be used at trial.
LATER JANUARY 2009: Mulder and Christian Laurin, agree to testify against Morneau. Both plead guilty to a conspiracy charge. A former Montana jailhouse cellmate of Morneau's also testifies against him. A jury finds Morneau guilty.
MARCH 2009: Mulder and Laurin are sentenced to spend four years in federal prison for their role.
APRIL 2009: Morneau is sentenced to spend 20 years in federal prison.
-- Free Press archives
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 17, 2009 B3
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