Suspected dope dealer at large

A 29-year-old cocaine trafficking suspect is at large after police found he had removed his electronic monitoring device and disappeared from the Cote First Nation where he was required to reside according to conditions of his release in April.

Following a routine check at his residence, Kamsack RCMP issued a warrant for Thomas Stevenson for breach of his conditional release.

Stevenson was busted in Yorkton March 13 as part of a five-month, multi-agency drug operation. He remained in remand at Regina Correctional Centre until a bail hearing April 10 because on March 13 he was already on a conditional release facing trafficking cocaine and dilaudid charges in Regina.

At the bail hearing, the Crown, represented by Shane Wagner, opposed his release on all three grounds available to the Court.

Wagner argued Stevenson's prior history of failure to attend court and other breaches of court orders satisfied the primary ground that he was at high risk to breach again. On the secondary ground he pointed out Stephenson was arrested for allegedly trafficking drugs while already on release facing similar charges and thus posed a danger of re-offending.

Finally, he said, the gravity of the charges and strength of the Crown's case-which the judge even admitted "doesn't get much stronger than that"-justified remand on the tertiary ground that releasing him would undermine the public trust.

"In the interest of justice, if you don't hold this prisoner, I don't know which prisoners you would," Wagner said.

Despite the prosecutor's opposition and an unfavourable bail verification report, Judge Patrick Koskie sided with defence counsel David Bright, who had lined up four respected band members including a councillor, a member of the justice committee and a member of the police management board, who all vouched for Stevenson.

Before ruling, Koskie admitted the significance of the charges and the strength of the Crown's case were compelling. He told the defendant that after reading the bail verification report in the morning, "I was not going to let you out."

Nevertheless, the judge released Stevenson on $500 bail admonishing him to "read my lips, this morning I was not releasing you in any way, shape or form. Do not make any mistakes."

The RCMP and Regina Police Service are seeking the public's help in apprehending Stevenson. They ask that any person with information regarding the man's whereabouts contact their local police agency or Crime Stoppers.