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By Joe Fries
Angry over a breakdown in communications, the alleged leader of a cocaine-trafficking ring told his right-hand man he needed to hear from him every two hours or be fined or fired.
That revelation came Wednesday in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna during the third day of trial for three people alleged to be at the centre of the alleged crime group.
The Crown continued with its evidence of intercepted phone calls from the summer of 2006 between what it believes to be two of the accused, Thomas Fraser and Jason Herrick, and their associates. While the intercepts are being played in court, the identification of the speakers has not necessarily been proven. Previous conversations heard in court, however, provided some evidence of identity.
During a series of calls, a woman who identified herself as Cindy told Herrick she was shorted a total of 17.78 grams on three bags.
“I’m not sure how that happened,” Herrick answered, then tells the woman he will have to get back to her about a remedy.
But in ensuing calls, it’s clear Herrick believes she is lying, telling another man: “I can’t work with these people.”
Later, the same unidentified man calls Herrick on the woman’s behalf and says she has the money she owes Herrick. They then discuss whether or not she should be allowed to “flip it” by purchasing product elsewhere, then selling it off to pay her debt to Herrick.
“Let them steal someone else’s dope and complain about being short,” Herrick concluded.
His decision to cut off contact with the woman and then his employer doesn’t sit well with “the big guy.”
Herrick later receives a call from Fraser who was angry about not being kept in the loop.
“Why the f**k am I sitting here not making any money?” Fraser asked. “Do you want to get fired?”
Fraser then tells his lieutenant that he must check in every two hours or be penalized $100 – “either that or you lose your job.”
In another call between the two men, Fraser phones Herrick and orders him to “bring some s**t” to “the clubhouse.” With loud music in the background, Fraser tells him the address is 837 Ellis Street, the property known locally as the Hells Angels clubhouse.
“Bring lots,” Fraser said. “A quarter.”
Herrick and Fraser are each charged with trafficking cocaine and committing offences for the benefit of a criminal organization. A third person, Margo Safadi, is charged with the same two offences, plus possession of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking.
All three were arrested in August 2007 as a result of the RCMP’s Project E-Pistachio. The trial is scheduled until the end of next week and will likely require more time. The case is being heard by Justice Geoff Barrow with no jury.
Two other accused, Brent Nagy and Mark Zagar, asked to be tried separately. Their legal proceedings are scheduled to start in September.
joe@kelowna.com
250-575-4303
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Tags: brent nagy, cocaine, criminal organization, drugs, Jason Herrick, john walker, Margo Safadi, mark zagar, Thomas Fraser
