FUGITIVE WANTS ASSURANCES TREATMENT AVAILABLE

Sydney - A Cape Breton man wanted by police since August says he'll
turn himself in if he receives a guarantee he will continue to receive
methadone treatment.

Sheldon Vaughan Leroy, 35, told the Cape Breton Post Wednesday he
wants to turn himself in but fears the island's only correctional
centre will not allow him to continue his treatment for a heroin addiction.

"I am willing to do the right thing and turn myself in but not if it
means I won't be able to continue to take methadone," said Leroy, who
also says he has a prescription for the drug.

Leroy has been the subject of a Canada-wide arrest warrant since a
shooting incident in Sydney Mines last August in which his brother,
Ray, was shot in both legs. A third man pleaded guilty to the shooting
and was a sentenced recently to two years in a federal prison.

Leroy said he first started taking methadone five years ago and while
he has served time in federal prisons he has been allowed to continue
to receive the treatment.

Richard Perry, spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Justice Department,
said Wednesday only the central correctional centre in Dartmouth
presently offers a methadone maintenance program although there are
discussions to expand the program to the Cape Breton Correctional Centre.

He said a standard admittance practice at all of the provincial jails
is a health assessment for in-coming inmates to determine medical needs.

"If an offender is on an approved methadone treatment program, then
they will continue to receive the treatment," said Perry.

"If someone needs medical attention, then they will receive it. They
will get the help they need," he said.

In the case of Leroy, Perry said it may mean he could be transferred
to the central jail on mainland Nova Scotia.

Treating such serious addictions as heroin requires intervention
similar to alcohol addiction, explains Dr. Tom Crawford, a physician
working with Addiction Services clients within the Cape Breton
District Health Authority.

The region is now dealing with a major problem of opiate addiction
with the drug of choice for many being OxyContin -- a highly addictive
painkiller linked to sudden deaths -- and a rash of criminal behaviour.

A newly designed methadone maintenance program is expected to be
operational next week to aid in treating the growing waiting list of
addicted users.

Selected on a triage basis, Crawford said high risk individuals --
such as those diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis C, pregnant, at risk of
losing jobs or family -- will be admitted first.

Crawford expects the program will likely treat upward of 100 patients
within a year and notes that discussions with correctional officials
could see a treatment program offered at the provincial jail sooner
rather than later. He said that program would only be offered to those
entering jail already receiving methadone.

Leroy said he wants to give himself up because he recently became a
father to a son and wants to start a new life.

At the time of the shooting incident in Sydney Mines, Leroy was on
statutory release from a federal prison where he was serving time for
car theft. Giving himself up to police means he will be sent back to
federal prison to complete the remaining 11 months of his sentence.

However, Leroy's first order of business will be to deal with the
outstanding charges filed by the Cape Breton Regional Police. It is
likely that he would be remanded to a provincial jail on those charges
pending resolution which would take precedence over the outstanding
federal matter.

"I want to remain on methadone. If they wean me off methadone at the
correctional centre I don't want to have a life of chasing after drugs
when I get out," he said.

"I'll deal with what I have to deal with but I just don't want to get
back on drugs when I get out."

According to court documents, Leroy is charged with assault causing
bodily harm and assault with a weapon, a screwdriver. Both assaults
are alleged to have been inflicted on George Ford, 40, of Sydney
Mines, who was sentenced for shooting Leroy's brother.

As well, he is charged with possession of a dangerous weapon, a
handgun; five counts of uttering threats and unlawfully entering
Ford's home. The offences are alleged to have occurred last Aug. 31.

He is also facing several offences alleged to have been committed last
July 16 and Aug. 6. He is charged with unlawful entry, pointing a
firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and committing an assault while
threatening to use a weapon, a handgun.