A local man was sentenced Monday to federal penitentiary time after pleading guilty to trafficking cocaine and money laundering.
Bobby Jo Dickau has been on remand for the last couple of weeks since turning himself in to the Estevan Police Service. He left the jurisdiction, contrary to a court order, after a preliminary inquiry relating to these charges. During Estevan provincial court, the federal Crown prosecutor and Dickau's Legal Aid defence counsel presented a joint submission to Judge Karl Bazin, which he accepted.
As part of the submissions, Dickau will serve two years plus a day in a federal penitentiary. He was given time served for charges of breaching conditions. Dickau also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing property obtained by crime.
The circumstances of the trafficking charges stem from an Estevan Integrated Organized Crime unit's investigation in which Dickau sold two grams of cocaine for $200 and later three grams for $300.
Dickau was charged with laundering the proceeds of crime, prior to the cocaine sales. He attempted to send $10,000 in cash via Purolator to a residence in Surrey, B.C. He would not supply the receiver's name, only the address, so that attracted the attention of the shipper's staff.
They investigated the package and found that it was a large amount of cash. The money tested positive for cocaine traces, noted Crown prosecutor Paul Malone. Upon being interviewed, Dickau said the money was accumulated through his involvement in the drug trade.
Dickau will also forfeit any proceeds and offence-related property, including the $10,000 that was attempted to be sent. He will be subject to a 10-year firearms prohibition and must provide a DNA sample.
Dickau told Bazin, "I know what I did was wrong. I'm sorry for that. I plan on (supporting my family) the proper way. I plan on doing that when I get out. You'll never have to worry about seeing me in your courtroom again or any courtroom for that matter."
In other court proceedings, a show-cause hearing was held for a 16-year-old Oxbow youth who faces 13 charges, including theft, arson, break and enter, mischief and uttering threats.
The charges are from incidents alleged between November 2010 and May 2012. The Crown alleges that he was involved in an incident from the night of May 17 and 18 in which three vehicles were stolen and set on fire in Oxbow and Alameda.
Bazin decided to remand the youth, who will return to court June 14.
A preliminary inquiry has been scheduled for July 17 for Dean Lacharity, Dale Smith and Dean Smith, who are all charged with aggravated assault in relation to one incident. The three accused may be tried together, in which case, they have elected trial by Court of Queen's Bench judge and jury.
