Federal prosecutor stays cocaine trafficking charges in Collingwood case

Charges stayed in drug trafficking case The charges against a man accused of drug trafficking amid a strained court system.

The federal prosecutor in Collingwood has stayed charges against a 36-year-old Toronto man accused of trafficking cocaine in early 2024.

An agent for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) told the court it was not in the public interest to proceed with the case against Devone Nolan Thursday ahead of what was supposed to be Nolan’s preliminary hearing.

The stay of proceedings comes following a similar decision Tuesday involving a 61-year-old man accused of running a marijuana grow operation in Bradford that included thousands of plants. The prosecution put those charges on hold as well; citing it too was no longer in the public interest to proceed to trial.

A spokesperson from the federal-government-run PPSC told CTV News it hopes to respond early next week to clarify why the charges were stayed and whether there is a mandate to stay lower-level drug charges.

Nolan has a lengthy criminal record dating back 18 years. He’s been accused of crimes ranging from robbery to trafficking women and drugs.

In 2007, Nolan was convicted of robbery when police in Toronto also charged him with wearing a disguise with intent, possession of a weapon and drugs for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

Police say he’d been previously linked to several groups in Toronto involved in human trafficking rings. While Nolan’s co-accused were convicted and sentenced, the charges against Nolan were withdrawn in 2017.

His arrest and charges in early 2024 in Collingwood came following a traffic stop, according to provincial police, who said Nolan was under investigation for allegedly trafficking cocaine across town.

Police said Nolan was found with about three ounces of cocaine; $7,000 in cash, along with other items, including expensive jewellery. Investigators believed the items seized were worth more than $40,000.

A staying of the charges means the prosecution has put the case on hold and the proceedings have been suspended, but not withdrawn, for up to one year.

When reached for comment, Mor Fisher LLP, the law firm representing Nolan, told CTV News it is “very pleased with the outcome.”

The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.