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Man sentenced to more time for drug smuggling plan

Anticipating a return to a federal prison, a young Lacombe man was caught with drugs wrapped in a manner conducive to smuggling narcotics into jail, Red Deer court heard on Wednesday.

Anticipating a return to a federal prison, a young Lacombe man was caught with drugs wrapped in a manner conducive to smuggling narcotics into jail, Red Deer court heard on Wednesday.

Dylan Zachary Lewis, 21, is headed back to jail to serve another two years in addition to what he had left to serve when released from jail before disobeying parole conditions.

Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking as well as being unlawfully at large from custody, breaking into a residence and three counts of possessing stolen property in the break-in.

Federal Crown prosecutor Dave Inglis told court that Lewis was arrested by police in Lacombe on May 11 when police found 29 grams of hashish oil and 148 ecstasy pills.

Inglis said the drugs were packaged in such a way as to suggest they would be smuggled into a jail.

He said the drugs were carefully wrapped, which included being packaged in condoms.

Inglis said the unusual packaging is familiar to police and prison authorities who catch people attempting to smuggle drugs into jails in their body cavities.

Street drugs in prison are worth about 10 times their value if sold on the street.

Lewis had been paroled on a two-year sentence he received in 2010 for breaking into several residences.

He then failed to report to authorities once released, prompting a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest.

Lewis was also cleaning up a break-in charge from the 2010 spree which saw him break into a residence and steal three guns, which he sold. The guns were valued at about $1,400, provincial Crown prosecutor Tony Bell said.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing a 2003 pickup truck and then stealing a licence plate for it.

Lewis must also surrender a sample of his DNA.

The sentence was a joint effort worked out between the two Crowns and defence lawyer Patty MacNaughton.

jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com