J.D. Frost

Hazare Roman was initially charged with possession of fentanyl and cocaine for trafficking.

The fentanyl charge was dismissed via a directed verdict.

Roman subsequently pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for trafficking.

The Crown and defence made a joint submission for a 9-month prison sentence plus probation, agreeing on 20 days credit for pre-trial custody.

They disagreed on the credit for 4 months of house arrest and 18 months of curfew.

The court accepted the 9-month sentence, granting an additional 2 months and 10 days credit for the house arrest period (totaling 3 months credit), resulting in a 6-month custodial sentence, followed by one year probation, a DNA order, and a 10-year firearms prohibition.

The applicant, charged with drug trafficking and importing fentanyl, sought to admit a video recording of her exculpatory police statement under the *Edgar* exception.

The court dismissed the application, finding that the statement, made over five hours after her arrest and after two consultations with duty counsel, lacked the requisite spontaneity.

Additionally, the court rejected the applicant's request to redact portions of the interview relating to severed charges (possession of false identity documents), holding that if the statement were admissible for credibility and demeanour, the jury should view the entire unedited interview, applying the "bitter with the sweet" principle.

The applicant, charged with importing fentanyl and possession of false identity documents, brought two pre-trial applications.

First, she sought to sever the drug charges from the false identity document charges.

The court granted the severance, finding a real risk of prejudice and no factual or legal nexus between the two sets of charges.

Second, she sought disclosure of police records relating to other packages of fentanyl sent by the same exporter to different addresses in Ontario.

The court dismissed this application, holding that the records were third-party records requiring an O'Connor application, not first-party Stinchcombe disclosure.