Former Corner Brook officer gets community sentences for cocaine possession, unauthorized use of computer

Alex Kennedy · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 2:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A erstwhile RCMP serviceman successful Corner Brook volition debar jailhouse time, but volition service consecutive six-month sentences successful the community.

Michael Hann was charged with possession of cocaine for the intent of trafficking, unauthorized use of a machine and breach of trust. He initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to blameworthy connected the lesser complaint of possession of cocaine connected Tuesday. The breach of spot complaint was withdrawn.

His proceedings was primitively acceptable for 5 days, but was shortened to conscionable Tuesday.

Hann volition serve his time through house apprehension and assemblage service, with conditions to abstain from intoxicant and controlled substances, stay on his spot unless for aesculapian oregon household reasons and remain in the province.

Charged successful February 2023, Hann was investigated by the RCMP and members of Newfoundland and Labrador's Serious Incident Response Team for his connections and engagement with known cause traffickers successful the Corner Brook region.

The investigation — dubbed Project Bliss — progressive support from the tribunal to way cellphones, computers and vehicles connected to Hann. It besides included an undercover cognition of much than 20 scenarios that included connecting with Hann and his girlfriend.

According to tribunal documents, successful precocious May 2022 Hann stored what an undercover relation told him was an ounce of cocaine successful a backhoe connected his spot successful Little Rapids, conscionable eastbound of Corner Brook. He told the undercover officer, "I didn't spot oregon perceive anything."

Hann's usage of the RCMP database was besides scrutinized.

In his remarks earlier the sentences were given, Justice Garrett Handrigan said Hann unlawfully utilized the database to entree 15 investigations helium wasn't assigned to that progressive cause traffickers helium had relations with.

However, Handrigan said determination was nary denotation that the information was shared. He besides said Hann didn't actively question to person cocaine — arsenic it was fixed to him by an undercover officer.

The Crown had asked for the six-month assemblage sentences, noting the challenges Hann would look successful situation arsenic a erstwhile constabulary officer.

His lawyer, Bob Buckingham, told the tribunal Hann's blameworthy plea served arsenic an "acceptance of responsibility" that needed to beryllium accounted for successful sentencing.

Hann said the aforesaid successful his code to Handrigan, telling the tribunal helium felt a profound consciousness of shame that helium brought upon the constabulary force, his household and the community.

"I judge afloat work for my actions," helium said. "[It] has formed a shadiness implicit the work."

Hann had been a constabulary serviceman since 2007 and resigned successful 2023.

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