Yorkton woman sentenced to 10 months

A Yorkton woman has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl.

Dorothy O’Dell (56) appeared at the Yorkton Provincial Court on May 11 to received her sentence.

O’Dell mailed eight patches of fentanyl to her daughter. Police intercepted the package and arrested O’Dell.

O’Dell wrote a note to her daughter with the package which included the word “sell” and “$180.” O’Dell claimed she meant to write “send” instead of “sell.” She said she intended to encourage her daughter to send back $180 for the patches.

“I am not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt [that she intended to sell the fentanyl],” said the judge during the sentecning.

O’Dell obtained the fentanyl patches through a prescription for her sore knees and by taking some from a friend.

When the judge explained his sentencing decision, he cited the Gladue report as an important factor. A Gladue report takes an Aboriginal person’s history and background into account before a sentence is passed. Since O’Dell has an Aboriginal background, she qualified for the Gladue report.

“Sentencing is not an exact science,” the judge said. “I am left with a myriad of factors.

“Any prison sentence will be a serious blow.”

The judge highlighted O’Dell’s life struggles and the serious public problems fentanyl poses before he passed his sentence of 10 months.