WIFE OF HELLS ANGELS LEADER GETS JAIL SENTENCE

Caught Selling Drugs To Undercover Agent

THE wife of Manitoba Hells Angels president Ernie Dew was sentenced
to five-and-a-half years in prison yesterday for arranging -- while
in the company of her children -- to sell a kilogram of cocaine to an
undercover police agent.

Vera Dew, 37, sobbed repeatedly yesterday after admitting to drug
trafficking only three months after she and 12 others -- including
her husband and two other full-patch members -- were arrested
following a year-long sting.

She also agreed yesterday not to fight the forfeiture of her family
home in St. Andrews, which has been seized by the federal government
as proceeds of crime.

Justice officials will take formal action if Ernie Dew is ultimately
convicted, court was told.

"This is despicable," said Queen's Bench Associate Chief Justice
Jeffrey Oliphant, noting the voices of Dew's kids, aged 16, 14 and
11, can be heard in the background during wiretap conversations.

"It's something no child should be forced to undergo. You wreck
people's lives, Mrs. Dew. You create and spawn other criminal acts by
people, some who may even be around the age of your children." Dew
said yesterday she takes "full responsibility" for the deal last
September with police agent Franco Atanasovic. She sold him the
cocaine -- which could produce 2,300 street-level "hits" -- in
exchange for $40,000. Her husband was out of town on a hunting trip
at the time.

"I apologize for my actions. I know my family is going to suffer and
society, as well," Dew told court.

With her husband also in custody, the couple's three children are now
being raised by family members.

Crown attorney Chris Mainella said the jail sentence is tragic but
"necessary" and detailed Dew's long history with the Hells, beginning
when she met her husband at the age of 17. Ernie Dew was affiliated
at the time with the Los Brovos.

"She found his world of motorcycle gangs glamorous and got sucked
in," said Mainella.

Dew also got addicted to cocaine and began taking a hands-on role
within the criminal organization, he said.

She has two prior drug convictions but escaped jail both times.

Mainella said she has quickly graduated from dealing at the gram
level to the kilogram level. "She is proud to be the wife of a Hells
Angel. It gives her cocaine and status in the world," he said.

Dew refused yesterday to blame Ernie Dew for her legal problems.

"He's my husband, and I love him," she said.

Her lawyer, Kathy Bueti, said Dew was desperate for money and decided
to sell some drugs for a quick profit when she got caught.

She said the Dews want to continue their relationship even though
both face an uncertain future.

Dew is the third accused to plead guilty.

The first two were lower-level couriers who both received four-year
prison sentences.

The majority of the evidence was collected through the work of the
police agent, who is being paid $525,000 US plus expenses for work
that included doing 18 separate drug deals.

Atanasovic and his two children have been relocated and is under the
witness protection plan. He spoke exclusively to the Free Press this
week to dispute several civil lawsuits that have been filed by people
who claimed he ripped them off.