Erik Strong pleaded guilty to four drug-related charges and was found guilty by a jury on a fifth, including trafficking in large quantities of cannabis marihuana, conspiracy to traffic, and possession of proceeds of crime.
The court considered aggravating factors such as Strong's leadership role in a sophisticated commercial wholesale operation, the large quantities of marihuana involved, and the significant value of the enterprise.
Mitigating factors included his guilty pleas, lack of significant prior record, and significant rehabilitative efforts since his arrest.
The defence argued for a reduced sentence due to anticipated changes in cannabis legislation and alleged state misconduct, both of which the court rejected.
The court also considered credit for onerous bail conditions.
A global sentence of 3 years (1095 days) was imposed, reduced by 78 days for pre-sentence custody and harsh bail conditions, resulting in a net sentence of 2 years, 287 days.
A fine of $25,000 plus a $7,500 victim surcharge was ordered, along with forfeiture of seized cash, a 10-year firearms prohibition, and a DNA order.
