MILLION-DOLLAR HOUSE FILLED WITH POT FORFEITED AFTER CARETAKER CONVICTED

KAMLOOPS -- A judge has ordered the forfeiture of a million-dollar
Shuswap property owned by a former Vancouver roller-hockey player and
used solely for the purpose of growing marijuana.

Provincial Court Judge Stephen Harrison said Thursday he had no
difficulty finding the 65-hectare Sorrento property was
"offence-related property," as it was home to a large-scale
sophisticated marijuana factory capable of growing thousands of
plants every year.

The property was owned by Ivan Matulik, a European hockey player who
played for the Vancouver Voodoo roller hockey team in 1995.

Matulik, 40, did not oppose the Crown's application, court was told.

Federal Crown prosecutor Monica Harmel made the application for the
forfeiture of the property, located on the outskirts of Sorrento,
during the sentencing hearing of the man accused of being the massive
growing operation's caretaker.

Dennis Kilback, 42, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana for the
purpose of trafficking. He was arrested after RCMP executed search
warrants in February 2006.

Six people were arrested.

The Crown argued Kilback was responsible for "keeping the plants
healthy, fed and watered."

Not so, said defence lawyer Robert Dick, who said Kilback was nothing
more than a caretaker who agreed to live there in exchange for room and board.

The Crown sought an eight-to 12-month jail term, while the defence
said a conditional sentence was more appropriate.

The judge agreed to the conditional sentence, saying Kilback posed
little risk to the community.

He must abide by eight months of house arrest and perform 40 hours of
community service work.

In ruling on the Crown's application for forfeiture, Harrison said
the loss of the property -- purchased for $230,000 several years ago
but appraised recently at $960,000 -- is not a disproportionate
penalty considering the seriousness of the offence.