Sentence Watch

Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking

R. v. Carlson

Crown asked4 years in custody1
Judge imposedTwo years plus one day in a federal penitentiary1
2 years less a day less custody than the Crown asked

What the law allows

MaximumLife imprisonment
Crown asked4 years in custody
Judge imposed731 days in custody
For possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking (CDSA 5(2)), the Criminal Code currently allows up to life imprisonment, with no mandatory minimum. Life is drawn at 25 years for scale. Read the section.

Dana Stanly Gordon Carlson was found guilty of possessing seven ounces of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, which he was paid $500 to deliver to Victoria. The Crown sought four years; the defence proposed a conditional sentence order or, alternatively, 12 months in jail. Justice Baird imposed two years plus one day in a federal penitentiary, emphasizing the low end of the range because of Mr. Carlson's age, minimal record and remorse, while finding a conditional sentence would not express the court's condemnation.

In the judge's words

A CSO would fail adequately to express the court's condemnation of Mr. Carlson's criminal misconduct, even though his role in the supply chain was limited to that of a courier or delivery driver.

1

The record

Prior convictions
1 prior conviction1
At the time of the offence
Not stated1
Appeal
Not yet checked
Counsel
Crown: T. Corsi
Defence: T. Spettigue

More cases by The Honourable Justice Robin A. M. Baird

  1. January 13, 2026
    R. v. Walczak, 2026 BCSC 167Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized; Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; Possession of a weapon contrary to a prohibition order; Contravention of firearm storage regulations; Possession of a weapon obtained by the commission of an offence; Possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon or prohibited device knowing possession is unauthorized; Possession of explosive substance without lawful excuse, Port Alberni
    7 years' imprisonment (global) less 987 days' pre-sentence credit
  2. July 15, 2025
    R. v. Rahiman, 2025 BCSC 1375Possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized; Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; Discharging a firearm with intent, Nanaimo
    • Below the Crown's ask
    5 years and 6 months in custody (concurrent 3 years and 1 year on the firearm possession counts)
  3. July 9, 2025
    R. v. Mariani, 2025 BCSC 1298First degree murder, Bowser
    Life imprisonment, no parole for 25 years; may apply for faint-hope reduction after 15 years
  4. March 4, 2025
    R. v. E.G.G.-G., 2025 BCSC 393Sexual assault, Nanaimo
    • Below the Crown's ask
    4 years in custody

All cases by The Honourable Justice Robin A. M. Baird (13)

More possession of a schedule i or ii substance for the purpose of trafficking cases

  1. September 18, 2026
    R v Alves, 2026 BCSC 1792Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking; Production of a Schedule I or II substance; Possession of anything for use in producing or trafficking a controlled substance, Maple Ridge. Justice Terence A. Schultes
    3 years' imprisonment on counts 1 and 2 and 2 years on count 3, concurrent
  2. September 11, 2026
    R. v. Dansereau, 2026 BCSC 1781Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking; Possession of a weapon contrary to a prohibition order, Rossland. Justice Jacqueline D. Hughes
    5 years in custody (3.5 years firearm, concurrent 24 months drug, plus 1.5 years consecutive for breach of weapons prohibition), less 978 days credit
  3. August 27, 2026
    R. v. Marshall, 2026 BCSC 1686Unauthorized possession of a firearm; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking, Victoria. Justice Jacqueline D. Hughes
    • Below the Crown's ask
    Six years imprisonment (concurrent on all counts), less 537 days credit for pre-trial custody
  4. August 25, 2026
    R. v. Beals, 2026 NSPC 43Operation with blood alcohol over the legal limit; Breach of a release order; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking, Dartmouth. Judge Timothy G. Daley
    2 years less a day conditional sentence (house arrest for 12 months, then curfew), then 2 years probation

All possession of a schedule i or ii substance for the purpose of trafficking cases (112)

More from the Supreme Court of British Columbia

  1. September 18, 2026
    R v Alves, 2026 BCSC 1792Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking; Production of a Schedule I or II substance; Possession of anything for use in producing or trafficking a controlled substance, Maple Ridge. Justice Terence A. Schultes
    3 years' imprisonment on counts 1 and 2 and 2 years on count 3, concurrent
  2. September 15, 2026
    R. v. C.S.M., 2026 BCSC 1770Manslaughter, Coquitlam. Justice David M. Layton
    2 years and 99 days in custody, less 99 days credit (2 years remaining)
  3. September 11, 2026
    R. v. Dansereau, 2026 BCSC 1781Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking; Possession of a weapon contrary to a prohibition order, Rossland. Justice Jacqueline D. Hughes
    5 years in custody (3.5 years firearm, concurrent 24 months drug, plus 1.5 years consecutive for breach of weapons prohibition), less 978 days credit
  4. September 11, 2026
    R v Stuart, 2026 BCSC 1783Aggravated assault, Vancouver. Justice Elin Sigurdson
    • Below the Crown's ask
    • No jail for a violent offence
    Two years less one day conditional sentence (201 days credited), followed by probation

All cases from the Supreme Court of British Columbia (520)

More cases in Victoria

  1. August 27, 2026
    R. v. Marshall, 2026 BCSC 1686Unauthorized possession of a firearm; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking. Justice Jacqueline D. Hughes
    • Below the Crown's ask
    Six years imprisonment (concurrent on all counts), less 537 days credit for pre-trial custody
  2. July 31, 2026
    R. v. Braun, 2026 BCSC 1488Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm; Possession of a Schedule I or II substance for the purpose of trafficking. Justice Lindsay R. LeBlanc
    • Below the Crown's ask
    30 months in custody (6 months concurrent on the drug count)
  3. July 24, 2026
    R. v. Smith, 2026 BCSC 1446Aggravated assault. Justice Lindsay R. LeBlanc
    • Below the Crown's ask
    874 days (873 days credited for 582 days pre-sentence custody, one further day served), then 3 years probation
  4. May 1, 2026
    R. v. A.D.E., 2026 BCSC 948Sexual assault. Justice Jan Brongers
    • Below the Crown's ask
    3 years imprisonment less 204 days pre-sentence credit

All cases in Victoria (29)

Sources

  1. R. v. Carlson, 2024 BCSC 496 Court decision, CanLII, February 23, 2024[16] … The Crown is seeking a sentence of four years.[8] Dana Stanly Gordon Carlson was born on November 18, 1974.[8] … His only involvement with the criminal justice system was in 2001 when he was convicted for driving over .08. He was fined $600 for that offence and prohibited from driving for one year. He has no other criminal convictions.[17] … A CSO would fail adequately to express the court's condemnation of Mr. Carlson's criminal misconduct, even though his role in the supply chain was limited to that of a courier or delivery driver.[28] I hereby order you serve a sentence of two years plus one day in a federal penitentiary.
  2. R. v. Carlson, 2024 BCSC 496 Court decision, Courts of British Columbia

publicly
Sentence Watch is part of Publicly: sites built from government and court records, with every fact linked to its source. Publicly is not affiliated with any government. Visits are counted with Google Analytics, which sets cookies.