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Sentencing delayed for drug dealer

Sentencing has been delayed for one of two men arrested in connection with a mushroom and marijuana drug business.Stephen Dylan Senetza, 27, pleaded guilty in Red Deer provincial court earlier this year to possession of cannabis marijuana for trafficking.Senetza was arrested at his Red Deer apartment on Feb. 27, 2012, by police following up on a drug bust made two days earlier.

Sentencing has been delayed for one of two men arrested in connection with a mushroom and marijuana drug business.

Stephen Dylan Senetza, 27, pleaded guilty in Red Deer provincial court earlier this year to possession of cannabis marijuana for trafficking.

Senetza was arrested at his Red Deer apartment on Feb. 27, 2012, by police following up on a drug bust made two days earlier.

Crown prosecutor Dave Inglis read an agreed statement of facts for Judge Jim Hunter during Senetza’s sentencing hearing on Thursday. Inglis said police sitting in an unmarked car at the Village Mall in Red Deer had noticed unusual activity involving two different vehicles parked nearby.

The officers saw a man take a black garbage bag out of a car and place it in the front seat of a pickup truck. They felt that was rather unusual, since garbage would normally have been placed in the box of the truck, said Inglis.

They pulled the pickup truck over and discovered that the bag contained nine pounds (4.09 kg) of psilocybin mushrooms, he said.

Further investigation led police to Senetza’s apartment, where investigators could smell marijuana in the hallway, said Inglis.

Inside the suite, police found one pound (454 grams) of marijuana, two scales and a vacuum sealer, he said.

Senetza was charged with possession of marijuana for trafficking.

He pleaded guilty before Judge Ken Rostad on Feb. 28 and was to be sentenced before Judge Jim Hunter on Thursday.

However, sentencing was delayed after defence counsel Brad Mulder raised issues with the pre-sentence report, which he said contained a number of errors, including references to his client’s prior criminal record.

Hunter said he would not pass sentence on a case heard by another judge without taking a full review of the facts. A date is to be set later for his sentencing decision.

Also accused in connection with the bust is Shawn Bodnaruk, 25, of Kindersley, Sask.

Bodnaruk has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing psilocybin for trafficking. Originally set for trial on June 24, Bodnaruk’s case was postponed after he parted company with the lawyer representing him.

Bodnaruk is to return to court on Thursday to set a new trial date.

bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com