'Right-hand man' in drug crime group gets 84 months in prison

Robert Patrick White, 43, was sentenced to a total of 84 months in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to drug charges including trafficking, conspiracy and possession of proceeds of crime.

An agreed statement of facts lists Whiteas the right-hand man of a crime figure identified in court documents as S.W.

White was arrested in September 2014 as part of a sweep involving several police departments in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

The operation was dubbed J-Tornado.

Police seized large quantities of cocaine, heroin and marijuana, at least seven firearms, drug paraphernalia and cash.

A total of 29 people were arrestedin New Brunswick, Halifax and Laval, Quebec.

RCMP have alleged large quantities of drugs, including heroin and cocaine, were supplied to two crime groups in Saint Johnvia routes from Montreal and Halifax, and from another crime group in Moncton.

The drugs were then redistributed to dealers in Saint John and other New Brunswick communities, includingFredericton, Oromocto, Sussex, St. Georgeand Grand Manan, to be sold on the street.

Statement of facts

White initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but changed his plea during a court appearance last week.The statement of facts agreed to by the Crown and by White's defence lawyer, Rodney MacDonald, show police had an agent who gained the trust of the lead crime figure, S.W.

The agent supplied S.W.with Blackberry phones, which were in turn distributed to associates in the criminal organization.

The cellphones had been set up to send encrypted messages which police could intercept.

According to the agreed statement of facts, "the distribution of the phones and resulting intercepts allowed law enforcement to gather evidence of the organization's activity, the identity of its members, its hierarchy and modus operandi."

The document goes on to say White was tasked with collecting money to pay for shipments of cocaineand played an important role in distributing the drug to individual dealers and arranging payment.

At the time of his arrest at his Lansdown Avenue home on Sept.10, 2014, he was in possession of $38,000in cash, of which $33,000 has been forfeited.

White also had one of the Blackberry devices supplied by the police agent.Its email was imdifferent@cryptlock.net

White will serve a total of 55 monthsafter credit for time spent in custodywhile awaiting trial.

Beginning onMonday in Saint John, six weeks have been set aside for the trialof three other men arrested as part of the J-Tornado investigation.