An Ontario judge is weighing whether to send a single father to prison for his role in a pandemic-era cocaine smuggling operation into Newfoundland and Labrador, or impose a sentence that keeps him home with his seven-year-old son. Steven Armstrong, of Newmarket, Ont., has pleaded guilty to importing cocaine, and Justice Louis Strezos of the Ontario Court of Justice is expected to decide his fate after a hearing Thursday.

How did the smuggling scheme work?

According to testimony recounted in court, the investigation began in 2018 when police noticed Armstrong making frequent, short trips to Newfoundland through the Marine Atlantic ferry system. He was stopped in 2019, but officers found no drugs in his vehicle. Investigators kept tracking him into 2020, when they learned he planned to move a pickup truck to the island; pandemic lockdowns blocked his entry that March. His co-conspirators were later caught by the Mounties with 3.4 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the airbag compartment of a Honda Ridgeline, part of a scheme worth about $1 million.

What sentences are the lawyers seeking?

Defence lawyer Adam Boni is asking for a conditional sentence order of less than two years, essentially house arrest. Crown prosecutor Christopher Kalantzsis initially sought up to seven years, but reduced his request to four to five years Thursday after learning the sentences handed to Armstrong's co-conspirators in Newfoundland. Dion Wilson Lee Rodgers and Edmond Dorman Pickett were convicted by a jury in Gander, N.L., and received 39 months and 34 months respectively.

Why is the judge concerned about the child?

Strezos called the lawyers back to the courtroom to ask further questions before deciding. He asked whether there is a concern that Armstrong's son, Jackson, might repeat his father's mistakes if incarceration leaves him an orphan. The defence argues that separating the boy from his only parent would make him a ward of the state.

FAQ

What is a conditional sentence order?

A conditional sentence order lets an offender serve a term of less than two years in the community, typically under house arrest, instead of in prison.

When will the judge decide?

Justice Strezos has not yet set a date for the sentencing decision, according to the reporting.