Band Councillor Pleads Guilty To Drug Offences

Friday, February 18, 2011 at 14:17

A band councillor from the Key First Nation has entered a guilty plea in a case of prescription drug trafficking.

Fifty-two-year-old Gerald Papequash pleaded guilty to six charges this morning.

Papequash had initially been charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and possession of property obtained by crime in early January.

He was released from custody and then subsequently charged with idenity theft, identity fraud, double doctoring, possession for the purpose of trafficking and breach of an undertaking earlier this month.

He will serve 16 months in jail, one year on probation and is prohibited from owning a firearm for ten years.

Papequash was scheduled to appear today for a bail hearing, but entered the guilty plea instead.

He was among 24 people charged in connection to a prescription drug ring in the Yorkton and Kamsack areas.

Key First Nation Chief Clarence Papequash is among the other suspects, and is due back in court next month.