MEN GET JAIL TIME FOR IMPERSONATING POLICE OFFICERS

Convicted Trio Tried To Steal Marijuana Plants

WHITBY - A Superior Court judge showed little sympathy on Friday for
three men who dressed as police officers while trying to rip off a
marijuana grow-op near Head Lake in 2003.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Bruce Glass sentenced Jody Churchill,
30, and Garfield Lefort, 32, both of Port Perry and Phillip Weddel,
34, formerly of Uxbridge, each to 90 days in jail.

The sentencing took place in court in Whitby.

The men pleaded guilty in June to charges of unauthorized possession
of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance and impersonating
a police officer.

In June, the Crown had asked for jail terms and fines for all three men.

The trio have been under strict bail conditions since they were
arrested almost four years ago.

They sat quietly behind the lawyers as the judge reviewed the facts
of the 2003 incident.

He noted the three men were among six who, dressed as police
officers, tried to steal as many of the 18,000 plants as possible
from a marijuana grow operation west of Norland.

The judge invited the men to speak to the court. All three described
the four years under bail conditions as "long and difficult."

Each said they were "different now," and apologized for the case
taking so much of the court's time.

Mr. Lefort said there is "not much I can do about the judgment I made
back then."

Mr. Weddel said his decision to go with the others to the field that
day "was the worst I ever made."

Mr. Churchill said he has a wife and "a beautiful, baby daughter and
I want a chance to prove myself."

Justice Glass noted the defence counsels' request to consider the
long period the men were under "onerous" bail conditions as factors
in his decision.

But, he said it was not "due to the conduct of the Crown or the
court" that they were under such conditions for so long. He noted
that while the process was lengthy, the men were not jailed during that time.

"The defendants have been entitled to the legal process available to
them, but it would be an error to say four years (on bail) is a
hardship," he said.

In handing down the sentences, the judge said he was "not going to
bring the justice system into disrepute" by allowing the men to serve
their time on weekends.

"The court is not prepared to send the message that the cost of doing
business (relating to drug operations) is modest.

"These are serious charges. The fact that there were guns and
impersonating police officers... could have created a dangerous
situation for the owners of the property and the police."

Justice Glass did say the three were not as seriously involved in the
incident as others.

In addition, each man was fined $8,000 and given 12 months to pay,
commencing from Friday's date.

Defence counsel asked the court to permit the payments to begin once
the men served their sentences, but the judge denied the request.

They were further sentenced to one year's probation, are prohibited
from owning firearms for 10 years and must forfeit to the Crown all
items seized by police.

The three men will serve their sentences at the Central East
Correctional Centre in Lindsay.

The judge said two others accused in connection with the incident,
Gordon Churchill, 53, of Port Perry, and Shane Prince, 35, of Oshawa,
have also pleaded guilty to several charges and will be sentenced on Dec. 14.

A sixth accused, Nick Churchill, 33, of Fenelon Falls, faces nine
charges. A trial date has not yet been set.