VANCOUVER – The B.C. Supreme Court has upheld a decision denying a Vernon man’s application to be transferred from a medium to low security prison.
In November 2012, Brock Palfrey was sentenced to almost 17 years imprisonment in a case involving the largest drug bust in Saskatchewan history.
Three hundred and sixty-seven kilograms of cocaine and 100,000 ecstasy tablets, valued at more than $2 million, were seized after being smuggled into Canada at a remote location along the Saskatchewan/Montana border.
The warden of Mission Institution turned down Palfrey’s transfer request based on information, believed reliable, that Palfrey was responsible for nicotine patches entering the prison through visits.
There was also information Palfrey was planning a “throw over” involving marijuana oil and steroids.
He denied that and claimed to have no knowledge of any subculture activities in prison.
In her report, the warden noted continuing concerns that Palfrey was involved, directly or indirectly, in drug subculture activities, saying: “In the eyes of the board, it is not reasonable to believe that the applicant, a sophisticated drug trafficker, is completely unaware of subculture activities, and cannot figure out how to remain out of the radar of the Security Intelligence Department.”
In the appeal to the courts, Palfrey’s lawyer argued the refusal to transfer him to a lower security institution was an unjustified deprivation of liberty.
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