Judge to decide whether drug-addicted Kamloops fentanyl dealer should go to jail

Photo: Castanet

Prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison sentence for a Kamloops addict who was busted three years ago with 13 grams of drugs including fentanyl and carfentanil.

Marcy Gordon-Filatoff, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. She was in B.C. Supreme Court on Friday as lawyers made sentencing arguments.

Court heard a Mountie making patrols on the Tk’emlups reserve on March 8, 2021, initiated a traffic stop near Mount Paul Way and Athabasca Street after spotting a vehicle with no front licence plate.

Gordon-Filatoff was the driver and lone occupant. She was arrested when the constable spotted a Taser in the back seat, and a subsequent search of the vehicle and Gordon-Filatoff’s purse turned up 13 grams of drugs, including fentanyl, carfentanil, cocaine and benzos.

Gordon-Filatoff has a criminal record including four previous convictions for possession for the purpose of trafficking, for which she received a 24-month prison sentence.

Federal Crown prosecutor Rhea Alcantara is seeking another two-year sentence in federal prison for the latest offence, pointing in part to Gordon-Filatoff’s admission to a pre-sentence report writer that she was dealing drugs to make ends meet.

“Ms. Gordon-Filatoff admits that the offence was financially motivated,” she said.

“She elaborated that she experienced an unexplained reduction in her income assistance, and as such she concluded that her only option to supplement her income was to commit the offences before the court — and she confirmed that she would resume trafficking substances if she experiences financial strain again."

Defence lawyer Alexander Watt, meanwhile, suggested a sentence of house arrest, which would allow Gordon-Filatoff to undergo methadone treatment in the community. He described her as a longtime addict whose life is impacted significantly by her drug use.

“She’s selling to survive — to always make sure there’s enough money to buy from her seller, who is often a person exactly like her who also purchased from a seller exactly like them,” he said.

“We need to challenge the preconceived belief about this contentious social and medical issue, which can be very uncomfortable. But the continuing propagation of fear, anger and inaccurate stereotypes only benefits the proponents of the failed war on drugs."

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Brad Smith has reserved his decision. Lawyers will return to court on Feb. 20 to set a date for his decision.