Trafficker sorry for contributing to drug crisis, gets six years

BRANDON — A cocaine dealer from Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation apologized in court Monday for the harm he caused before he was sentenced to six years for drug trafficking.

Myron Tanner, 35, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking in April after he was arrested for having cocaine and crack cocaine with him in a vehicle in Brandon in 2024.

“Selling drugs and everything was maybe beneficial partly, but in all reality, it wasn’t. And, you know, I got way more consequences than I do benefits from that lifestyle,” Tanner said in the Court of King’s Bench.

“I have to be a man and be responsible for my actions.”

Tanner was arrested at about 2 a.m. on June 17 when Brandon police were out patrolling, according to an agreed statement of facts in the case.

After pulling over the man’s Chevrolet Silverado, officers saw one of the two passengers had unstamped tobacco in their possession.

Police searched the vehicle and found a black backpack with individual bags of cocaine totalling 476 grams. The bag also contained an ounce of crack cocaine, a prescription bottle of 75 Percocet pills and a small safe that had another 70 grams of cocaine inside.

Altogether, there was more than half a kilogram of cocaine inside the vehicle.

“In a bulk sort of street value amount, that would have been approximately $17,000. But if it was portioned down to gram sales at the street level, which is about $100 a gram, it could have had an approximate street value of about $47,600,” said Crown attorney Serena Ehrmantraut.

Police also found multiple IDs, vehicle registration, score sheets, a digital scale and cellphones in the vehicle, as well as $2,700 cash in a black case in the centre console.

The phone had a text-message conversation about dropping off drugs “minutes before the arrest.”

Tanner and the two passengers were charged with possession for the purpose of drug trafficking.

The Crown said Tanner had admitted to police that the cocaine in the backpack belonged to him and that he was paid by someone to drop it off.

“This certainly is a significant quantity of drugs that we are talking about. From the score sheet, it’s clear that there were sales that were happening between sort of the multi-gram to the multi-ounce type level,” Ehrmantraut said.

Tanner, she said, was directly involved with contributing to the drug crisis in Brandon, “which filters down through … property crimes, violence, things of that nature.”

He has a history of gang activity and admitted to selling drugs to support his alcohol and drug addiction, which evolved into a profit-driven situation, she said.

Tanner’s lawyer, Barry Sinder, spoke about his client’s history of abuse in foster care, the impact residential schools have had on his upbringing and his struggle with addiction — “a cycle that is very hard to break,” he said.

“He’s an intelligent 35-year-old man. He has family support. Many people do not have that kind of support,” Sinder said.

“The cycle has to be broken, and the cycle can be broken for him and others who want to commit themselves to taking the appropriate steps.”

Tanner told Justice Scott Abel that it was difficult for him to explain to his children that he was going to prison, but that he’s proud of himself for taking responsibility for his actions.

“I don’t know if you know anything about karma, but I feel like all the wrong things I’ve done in my life and everything, it’s like it catches up to me in one way or another,” he said.

Abel accepted a six-year joint recommendation from the Crown and defence, including a lifetime weapons prohibition order. After time served, Tanner is expected to serve about three more years in prison, the judge noted.

The judge referenced comments Tanner made in the pre-sentence report, describing himself as having a role as an Indigenous man to be a protector, warrior, teacher and singer.

“I’m hopeful and expecting that you will assume that role as an Indigenous man and have a role in your family’s life and your children’s life,” Abel said.

— Brandon Sun