Steven French had a good job in the Sarnia-area oil industry, a strong reputation at work and in the community, and a clean criminal record.
Then he started selling cocaine to support his $500-a-week drug habit.
“Which makes this so completely bizarre,” his lawyer, Leo Kinahan, said Tuesday in a Sarnia courtroom shortly before French, 43, was sentenced to three years in prison.
Following a nearly six-month drug-trafficking investigation, provincial police searched French’s rural home east of Sarnia on March 3, 2021.
Officers found various drug paraphernalia, as well as debt and customer lists, scattered throughout the Michigan Line house and workshop, but the majority of the cocaine – 312 grams – was discovered in a basement playroom.
Officers also seized 713 grams of magic mushrooms stashed in large freezer bags in cupboards above a microwave in the workshop. The total haul was worth about $46,000, police said.
French and wife Sara were both charged with trafficking, but the charges against her were withdrawn Tuesday during French’s sentencing. French pleaded guilty to the trafficking charge last month, but sentencing was adjourned to get a pre-sentence report.
The report said he started dealing the drug to help offset the cost of his own use. French, who first started regularly using cocaine around age 24, was spending about $500 a week.
“Which both he and his wife had indicated was a significant improvement from his prior use, where he was spending upward of $5,000 per week,” Justice Krista Leszczynski said.
Despite the large amounts, French denied having a substance-use issue, although Kinahan said the arrest was the best thing that happened to his client who is open to counselling.
“Mr. French, I encourage you to use this time while you serve your sentence to address your substance-use issues,” Leszczynski said. “So that when you return to this community, sir, you can lead a life free of substance use and truly be there for your family and your job.”
Kinahan said his client’s job in the Sarnia-area oil industry is waiting for him after he’s released due to his strong work ethic and reputation.
“It’s unusual,” he said. “It speaks to his value as a member of the community, quite frankly.”
When given a chance to address the court, French told the judge he was willing to accept whatever sentence she imposed.
“I do have two young boys. They’re not going to be overly happy with the sentence, but such is life,” he said.
Both lawyers suggested three years, a sentence Kinahan conceded was on the light end due to the amount and purity of cocaine seized. Leszczynski agreed it was on the lower range, but still felt it was appropriate.
The cash and drugs seized were forfeited, and French also is banned from weapons for 10 years.
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