REFLECTIONS

This is the fifth in a series of exclusive articles by Examiner
reporter Galen Eagle who interviews a local drug dealer who became an
agent for the local police and brought down a circle of people in the
Peterborough drug trade.

More than three years after he signed the police contract to become an
undercover agent, 48-year-old Merv Monteith still carries the document
in his pocket as a reminder of his former life.

For obvious reasons he won't say where he lives with his wife of nine
years and six-year-old daughter but describes his new life with one
word -quiet.

He's not in a state sponsored witness protection program. He used the
money he made as an agent, nearly $100,000, to move his family to what
he believes is a secure location.

In speaking with The Examiner, Monteith came with two requests. He
wanted a double-double Tim Hortons coffee and wanted to begin his
story from birth.

"I'm not hoping to gain anything. I'm just basically putting it out
there, how something like this could happen, how somebody could become
me," he said. "If you want to nip crime in the bud, do something more
for your children. Set up programs for your kids because those are
going to be your future criminals some day."

Monteith answered questions frankly without trying to sugarcoat his
actions.

"I'm not trying to come off as a do-gooder. I'm willing to look as bad
as everyone else in the article," he said. "The difference is, at the
end of the day, I stood up and did something about it."

Despite putting away eight drug dealers for a combined 30 years in
prison and taking an estimated $300,000 worth of drugs off the
streets, Monteith remains conflicted.

He wonders out loud if he made a difference at all.

"Absolutely, he did," said city police officer Bob Campbell, the officer
Monteith originally approached about becoming an agent. "If he feels
conflicted, he shouldn't. It certainly was a big impact. We put away some
pretty big dealers and people that were involved in the criminal gangs
here...he basically dismantled the Bandidos motorcycle club from coming to
Peterborough." (Note: police have confirmed another bike gang, The Outlaws,
set up a clubhouse in Peterborough earlier this month).

Monteith's true character shone through as he committed to the
investigation and followed through, Campbell said.

"Especially the people that he ended up targeting, there is a code
there amongst them. You just don't do that," Campbell said. "He made a
lot of sacrifices. Very few people ever do what Merv did and do it as
effectively and as honestly as he did."

Det. Const. Ian Maxwell, a member of the city's drug unit, was also
involved in Project Underground and calls Mo nteith's actions
commendable.

"It's pretty remarkable. He stood up to a group that normally doesn't
get stood up to by one of their own," he said. "He did what a lot of
people wouldn't do."

The sheer volume of drugs taken off the street during the
investigation was a major victory in itself, Maxwell said.

"When you are taking kilos of cocaine away, that's a significant
amount of drugs that were destined to hit the street," he said.

Monteith fears people will focus too much on the money he received.
That's not why he did it, he said.

With the exception of his wife and child, Monteith said the rest of
his family wants nothing to do with him.

"I lost everyone. I doubt I have a friend in the world. I have nowhere
to call home. Even my family turned their back on me," he said.

Had he done it for the money, he would have asked for a lot more,
Monteith said.

"For me it wasn't greed. I wanted to know I had enough money to at
least go away and be able to start over."

From day one, it was clear Monteith was motivated by personal reasons,
Campbell said.

"It certainly wasn't about money. He had his reasons for doing it. He
did them for the right reasons," Campbell said. "For what he did, he
deserved to get paid for. He did things that would have costs us
millions of dollars to do."

As for his future, Monteith said he wants to focus on raising his
daughter and he plans on seeking a pardon for his past crimes.

He refuses to worry about those he has put away and said he won't live
his life looking over his shoulders.

"If something is going to happen, it's going to happen. I can't spend
the rest of my life running around in fear," he said. "I knew the
consequences. It's not like everybody said it was going to be a bed of
roses once it was all over."

[sidebar]

2006-07 -The multi-agency Project Underground is formed to target
Robert Pammett, then 58, and any association with the Bandidos outlaw
motorcycle gang.

Sept. 20, 2007 -Merv Monteith, then 44, signs a contract to become
undercover police agent 3951.

October 2007 -The Bandidos break up in Ontario, so Project Underground
shifts its focus to the Peterborough drug trade.

March 26, 2008 -Police raid Robert Pammett's McNamara Rd. home and
charge five Peterborough people and two men from Toronto and seize
large amounts of cocaine.

March 28, 2008 -Following the raid on Pammett's house, more people are
charged, amounting to just under a dozen individuals.

April 16, 2008 -Robin Hillis, 54, of Peterborough, pleads guilty to
trafficking 5 3/4 ounces of cocaine and gets a two-year prison
sentence. The federal Crown tells the court about confidential police
informant 3951 for the first time.

April 25, 2008 -Robert Pammett's children, Cherie and Robert Pammett
Jr., plead guilty to drug charges.

May 1, 2008 -Cherie Pammett, 34, gets 4 1/2years in prison for
possessing nearly a kilo of packaged cocaine for the purpose of
trafficking. Robert Pammett Jr., 21, gets two years for possessing 17
OxyContin pills for the purpose of trafficking, possessing a loaded
restricted handgun and breaching his bail recognizance.

Oct. 9, 2008 -Peterborough's Brian Burrett, 41, pleads guilty to
selling two kilos and 18 ounces of cocaine and gets a seven-year
prison sentence minus five months of pre-sentence custody. The Crown
names Monteith as the confidential agent in open court.

Oct. 30, 2008 -Benoit Lemieux, 37, of Toronto, pleads guilty to
trafficking one kilogram of cocaine and possessing a loaded restricted
handgun.

Jan. 7, 2009 -Ronald Crofts, 43, pleads guilty to trafficking
cocaine.

Feb. 27, 2009 -Lemieux gets 44 months in prison, a sentence reflecting
the two months he spent in pre-sentence custody.

Jan 30, 2009 -Monteith testifies in Pammett's preliminary hearing
flanked by heavy security. It would be the only time Monteith's
testimony would be heard in court.

March 10, 2009 -Crofts gets three years and three months in prison for
selling one kilogram of cocaine.

March 11, 2009 -Pammett's case is committed to trial in Superior Court
of Justice.

April 15, 2009 -The Crown withdraws all charges against Trevor
Forster, 29, of Toronto, including conspiracy to commit an indictable
offence, possession for the purpose of trafficking and two counts of
possession of property obtained by crime.

Aug. 12, 2009 -Kenneth Hudson, 49, of Toronto, gets a four-year prison
sentence after pleading guilty to trafficking one kilogram of cocaine.

March 12, 2010 -Pammett, now 60, pleads guilty to three counts of
trafficking cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of
trafficking.

March 26, 2010 -Pammett gets sentenced to two years time-served, the
equivalent of a four-year prison term, and is released from jail that
day. The Crown withdraws nine other charges against Pammett, including
a charge of conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance and several
firearms offences. The Crown also withdraws all charges against
Pammett's wife, Wanda Witkowski.