MAN NOT GUILTY OF TRAFFICKING POT

746 Grams Were Found In His Car

Court Told Drug Was For Own Use

GUELPH--A British Columbia man found with 746 grams of marijuana beat
drug-trafficking charges yesterday after convincing an Ontario judge he had
intended to smoke all of it by himself.

Carlos Lamprea, a home renovator, pleaded guilty to possessing the drug,
but was found not guilty of possessing the marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking.

Lamprea, 56, claimed the drugs were intended for his personal use.

Lamprea has six prior convictions for possessing marijuana.

Justice J. L. Menzies said he believed medical evidence from Lamprea's
doctor that the man was a drug abuser with a chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease.

Provincial police officer Andrew Houston pulled Lamprea over for allegedly
speeding on Feb. 29, 2004, court heard, and found the pot.

A key part of Smith's defence was that police didn't find debt lists,
scales or other devices to measure marijuana -- meaning he didn't intend to
sell the drugs.

Lamprea was fined $5,000 on the possession of marijuana charge.