A 21-year-old Amherstburg woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison for trafficking fentanyl.
Gillian Gignac had been arrested by LaSalle police with a large quantity of the toxic narcotic and several other types of drugs. Justice Marion told the court the scourge of fentanyl has to be stopped.
Federal prosecutor Sue Szasz says fentanyl is described as a toxic narcotic and continues to be a problem.
"Sadly and unfortunately we're not seeing this type of drug go away. If anything we're seeing it more and more, we're seeing it more prevalent in the community," says Szasz. "The community is being made aware through public forums about how dangerous the powdered fentanyl is."
She says the variety of forms of fentanyl seized in the raid was surprising.
"What's unique about Miss Gignac's situation is the different types of fentanyl that she had." says Szasz. "Most of the cases are powder or patches in this case she had all of them."
The defence had called for a sentence of three to four years, the Crown requested a 10 to 12 year sentence.
Szasz thinks the judge was very direct in describing the crime.
"How she was 'giving pretty much everyone a loaded gun', I liked that analogy that he made and I think that really resonated" explains Szasz. "I looked at her when he was saying that and she started to cry. I think it really hit her I think through this whole process she saw and heard evidence and I think she realized maybe a little too late, but she realized the severity of her actions."
The court was told Gignac was initially arrested for drug trafficking and let out on bail, then was arrested again for the same crime, released on bail a second time and was re-arrested again.
At the time of her arrests, the quantity of fentanyl was the largest bust in the region.
With pre-trial custody, Gignac has a further sentence of just over six years. Gignac's lawyer, Laura Joy, says with good behavior she could be out on bail in two years.