12 YEARS TOO LONG FOR DRUG-TRAFFICKING: LAWYER

Earlier Jail Time, Rehab Cited

A lawyer for Randy Potts, a member of the Hells Angels who pleaded
guilty to drug-trafficking offences, says Potts should be sentenced to
either a period of probation or a short jail term.

In December, Potts, a full-patch member of the East End chapter of the
notorious motorcycle club, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce and
traffic in methamphetamines and to trafficking in cocaine.

The prosecution told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask that
Potts, now out on bail, should receive a jail term of 12 years, minus
a year for presentence custody.

But on Wednesday, Bonnie Craig, a lawyer for Potts, argued that the
judge should consider his sentencing last year for gun offences when
sentencing for the drug crimes.

Potts was sentenced to seven years but, due to credit for pretrial
custody, he received a sentence of effectively time served. He has
been out on bail since.

Craig told the judge he should also consider Potts' guilty plea and
his "significant" efforts at rehabilitation while in jail awaiting
trial.

"How much more time does he need? In my submission, he does not need
more time," Craig said.

She suggested a sentence range of between a period of probation with
strict conditions to a period of two years in jail.

The prosecution earlier argued that John Punko, Potts' co-accused,
should receive a sentence of 16 years, with the defence arguing that
Punko should receive time served.

On Wednesday, the judge told the court he had mistakenly indicated
that he could pass sentence on the two men on Friday. The pair will be
sentenced on March 12.

The pair were arrested in July 2005 following the RCMP's Project
EPandora crackdown on Hells Angels.