Meth dealer to remain in custody
Lawrence (Larry) Steven Chippin, 62, of Fredericton, remanded on allegations he breached conditions of release order; sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 8
A Fredericton man convicted after trial of meth possession for trafficking purposes was denied bail Thursday on allegations he violated the conditions of his release.
Lawrence (Larry) Steven Chippin, 62, of Dundonald Street, appeared in Fredericton provincial court in person and in custody Thursday afternoon for a bail hearing.
He faces three counts of breaching the condition of a release order - namely, that he reside at a Dundonald Street apartment and follow a curfew there - alleged to have occurred Feb. 2, Oct. 4 and Nov. 25.
He’s also accused of possessing crystal meth Oct. 4.
Chippin had been charged in 2021 for possession of meth for the purpose of trafficking, and he was convicted after trial earlier this year. He remained free on the conditions of the afore-mentioned release order.
But that came to an end Thursday. Judge Scott Brittain, at the conclusion of his bail hearing, ruled Chippin hadn’t shown cause why he should be released, and he remanded him.
In most bail hearings, the burden is on the prosecution to demonstrate why a defendant should be remanded pending the outcome of his or her case.
But the law directs the burden shifts to the defence in bail hearings for those alleged to have breached release orders to show why they should be released.
The evidence presented at Chippin’s bail hearing and the reasons for Brittain’s decision Thursday are subject to a publication ban until the charges are resolved in court.
However, when Chippin was arrested on the breach charges and appeared by telephone Monday, he claimed he’d moved from the Dundonald Street apartment and had been living at a home on Kingsley Road in Estey’s Bridge for a while, with the full knowledge of authorities.
Brittain remanded Chippin until Jan. 8, when he’s expected to enter pleas to the breach charges and the count of meth possession.
Sentencing looms
Chippin’s sentencing hearing for possessing meth for the purpose of trafficking on July 30, 2021, is also set for Jan. 8.
He’s going to be sentenced for other offences at that time as well: possessing cocaine and meth May 19, 2021; and breaching a police undertaking on July 5, 2021, requiring him to reside at a McGee Street home in Lincoln and to observe a curfew there.
Precedents have directed sentencing judges that generally, when dealing with crimes of trafficking in hard drugs, offenders can expect federal-prison terms of at least two years.
Chippin was found to be in possession of significant quantities of meth when city police executed a search warrant at Room 221 of the Days Inn on Prospect Street on July 30, 2021, where he was living at the time.
In addition to the drugs, officers also found other related paraphernalia, including dime baggies, scoresheets and digital scales, and online messaging threads found on Chippin’s laptop also pointed to his involvement in trafficking.
Before his detention, Chippin spent a great deal of his time administering groups on social media focused on criminal-justice issues.
He manages Facebook groups including Missing & Unsolved New Brunswick and NB Proud that call for stronger action on missing-persons investigations and policing in the name of public safety.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.