In addition to jail time and monetary penalties, a criminal charge can lead to damage to a professional’s reputation. However, a defence lawyer’s early intervention in the legal process may effectively mitigate the negative repercussions of a criminal charge. An allegation does not automatically proceed to a conviction, and every professional accused of a crime has a right to mount a strong criminal defence.
A Sudbury pharmacist is currently responding to six criminal allegations, including a drug trafficking charge. A woman who worked for the pharmacist was given a three-year jail sentence after pleading guilty to drug offences. In a statement read to the court in February, the pharmacist said that his only mistake was not implementing measures to prevent prescription drug theft, and that his trusted employee stole from the pharmacy over a period of time.
In April 2013, the pharmacist was charged, and he has since been penalized by the Ontario College of Pharmacists. His practice was suspended for 16 months in February, and in a statement, he indicated that he has now implemented a proper method to inventory narcotics.
While some drug trafficking charges develop quickly after a traffic stop or some other unexpected set of circumstances, other such charges are laid after deliberate and lengthy investigations. The investigation in this particular case reportedly dates back to March 2011. According to CBC News, the pharmacist is expected to face a three-week trial.
Drug trafficking is a serious charge that can have serious consequences for a defendant. Our Toronto Drug Trafficking overview has more on defending against these kinds of charges.
