Former Rider awaits decision in drug trial

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This article was published 25/11/2017 (3035 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Court of Queen’s Bench judge has reserved his decision in the case of a former Saskatchewan Roughriders player accused on drug charges.

Justice Richard Saull heard closing arguments from Crown and defence lawyers at the conclusion of the criminal trial for 27-year-old Jordan Reaves, who is charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The Crown’s case against him centred on text messages and Winnipeg police surveillance surrounding an alleged drug deal on Nov. 18, 2015. The Crown has alleged Reaves was driving when one of his passengers, 29-year-old Seif Ali, got out of the vehicle with a gym bag to make the exchange of money and drugs. Ali pleaded guilty this week and is set to be sentenced next year for possessing three ounces of cocaine police found during a traffic stop.

Federal Crown prosecutor Hugh Crawley argued Reaves and Ali were communicating in code via text, using the word “shirt” as a stand-in for drugs, with reference to the “shirts” being “short,” and dropping off a shirt in a mailbox.

“I say the shortness is the ounces of cocaine,” Crawley said. He called a drug-jargon expert to testify about his interpretation of the text messages as evidence Reaves was discussing drugs.

Defence lawyer Evan Roitenberg argued the two were literally talking about shirts.

“If you assume the worst… you can read into anything,” Roitenberg told the judge Friday. “But if you take it at face value, that doesn’t support the Crown’s theory at all.”

The defence’s position is Reaves was “in the dark” about the drug deal and was only driving where Ali directed him to go. He acknowledged it’s fair for the judge to be suspicious about what happened that night, but argued suspicion shouldn’t rise to the level of a criminal conviction beyond reasonable doubt. Crawley argued at “minimum” Reaves was party to a drug offence. Saull is expected to give his decision Jan. 24. The trial proceeded despite an adjournment request from the defence this week.

Reaves, who is from Winnipeg, played for the Roughriders in the 2016 CFL season, and had signed a contract for 2017 before the criminal charge against him became known. He was cut by the Riders in June, following training camp.

The son of former Winnipeg Blue Bombers standout Willard Reaves played basketball for the Brandon University Bobcats before turning to football.

katie.may@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @thatkatiemay