ESTEVAN — A final person has been sentenced in connection with a significant drug bust that occurred last year in Estevan.
Brennan Stephen McKeen was handed a jail sentence of two years less a day in Estevan Provincial Court Sept. 8. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count each of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine.
Several other charges were stayed, including one count each of trafficking cocaine, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of the proceeds of crime exceeding $5,000 and violating the terms of his release order.
Prosecutor Alexander Deacon told the court that starting in January 2024, the Estevan Police Service received confidential source information that a number of individuals, including McKeen, were trafficking cocaine and methamphetamines in Estevan. Officers conducted surveillance on several individuals, including McKeen.
“He was observed leaving his vehicle and making short-duration meets and hand-to-hand transactions with individuals throughout Estevan,” said Deacon.
On Aug. 9, 2024, Deacon said officers were conducting surveillance on McKeen and McKeen’s wife, Jessic Louise Rutter-McKeen, at a storage facility in the city. They returned to their vehicle and drove off, at which point Deacon said the EPS conducted a traffic stop.
Deacon pointed out the EPS had a search warrant for the vehicle, and they located two cellular phones, $1,130 in cash in various locations, a dime bag of methamphetamine weighing 2.4 grams, scoresheets on envelopes and 42.9 grams of methamphetamine in a Ziploc bag.
“Police searched the McKeen’s residence and in a shed they located drug paraphernalia, a lunch kit with a scale, and a wooden box with three envelopes containing some $6,700 in cash,” said Deacon.
When they searched the trailer at the storage facility, Deacon said the police located a locked safe with 11 black Ziploc bags, each containing individually-wrapped dime bags totalling 1,026.5 grams of cocaine, split between soft and hard forms of the drug.
Deacon also noted that McKeen has a criminal record, with the most entry coming in 2020.
“He did enter a guilty plea and there has been some quid pro quo on this sentence resolution, which explains the reasonably-restrained Crown sentencing position here,” said Deacon.
McKeen’s attorney Aleida Oberholzer noted McKeen expresses a “deep remorse” for his actions and acknowledges the impact the drug bust has had on his family and his reputation.
“He has been ashamed of his involvement in this offence, and he has committed to make amends,” said Oberholzer.
His role as essentially “a runner” in this operation was transactional, she said, and McKeen was forthcoming with police. Oberholzer emphasized McKeen has had no issues with violating conditions since the August 2024 arrest.
When given the chance to speak, McKeen was emotional as he apologized for his actions. Judge Mitch Miller said he could tell McKeen was “truly remorseful”.
In accepting the joint submission, Miller asked McKeen if he had thought about how the drugs affected the users.
“You may not have had a direct role in that, but it rolls through the community, and as the Crown prosecutor says, it’s a problem all across Saskatchewan,” said Miller, alluding to previous comments by Deacon. “It causes a lot of damage, and I would say you’re part of that damage.”
Miller also pointed out that sentences for trafficking cocaine can be higher, especially given the quantity of drugs involved in this case. And he noted McKeen’s efforts towards rehabilitation, which Miller factored in his decision to accept a joint submission order from the Crown and defence.
“I want you to keep working on that, all right? I think you understand that you have done wrong in your community, and I’d like to see you take steps to repair that wrong,” said Miller.
Rutter-McKeen was also arrested in the drug bust. She pleaded guilty Aug. 18 to one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking methamphetamine and received an 18-month conditional sentence order (CSO) with standard provisions to be followed. Another co-accused, Devon William Martell, pleaded guilty Aug. 12 to one count of trafficking cocaine and received a CSO of two years less a day.
Several other charges for Rutter-McKeen and Martell were stayed.
Charges against a fourth person were stayed earlier this year.
According to the EPS, the drugs seized had a street value of $150,000. Cash and numerous other items were also seized.
