Lawyer accused of smuggling drugs into jail breaches release conditions, subject of warrant

A suspended Winnipeg lawyer facing charges of conspiring to smuggle drugs into jail is now a fugitive.

On Monday afternoon, a judge issued an arrest warrant for 43-year-old Chad Sutherland.

Sutherland was released on bail May 12 to reside at Adult Teen Challenge, a faith-based recovery centre.

“Mr. Sutherland was provided conditions of his release to reside as directed by Adult Teen Challenge and abide by their rules,” special prosecutor Kerry Unruh told provincial court Judge Robin Finlayson.

“Mr. Sutherland has since left, contrary to his release order,” Unruh said.

In late March, RCMP charged Sutherland with conspiracy to distribute cannabis, conspiracy to commit mischief and conspiracy to possess a prohibited or restricted firearm.

He’s also facing charges of assault and mischief from last summer, several court-order breaches since and charges of assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily from incidents earlier in March.

Sutherland appeared on the RCMP’s radar after corrections officers at Headingley jail on March 30 last year noticed the smell of cannabis and sought to find out who had taken the drug into the jail.

Sutherland was suspended indefinitely in February by the Law Society of Manitoba for improperly asking a client for cash, failing to show up to court on several occasions and not responding to the regulator while it investigated him.

In early March, former client Andrew Manning filed a lawsuit against Sutherland and his law firm Gindin, Wiebe Segal Law alleging Sutherland performed “no meaningful legal work” and failed to return money owed to him.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca