In what a Supreme Court judge called an “egregious breach of…trust,” a Nova Scotia correctional officer brought contraband cannabis into his facility, receiving a three-year federal sentence in the process. Robert McLaughlin, who served at the Northeast Nova Correctional Facility in Priestville, pleaded guilty to bringing cannabis to the site on or about Sept. 3, 2023. He was charged with breach of trust under section 122 of the Criminal Code and unlawful possession of cannabis for the purpose of distributing it under the Cannabis Act. According to a written decision by Justice Bryna D. Hatt, McLaughlin, 42, reported for his shift on that day with 110 grams of “shatter” wrapped in electrical tape and concealed in his pocket. Shatter is a form of concentrated cannabis. McLaughlin’s plan involved bringing the shatter to an inmate who was going to sell it in the facility “for a considerable profit,” according to the decision. “Mr. McLaughlin was to be paid for his participation,” the decision reads. “The Crown and Defence agree, the estimated institutional value of 110 grams of shatter within the correctional institution setting was $55,000.” The decision notes the cannabis concentrate was seized before it could be introduced to the prison population. The Northeast Nova Correctional Facility opened in February 2015 and can hold 196 offenders and 138 employees, according to the provincial government. Its in-custody population includes people serving provincial sentences, remand, parole violations or new federal sentences. It serves the courthouses in Truro, Amherst, Pictou, Antigonish and Port Hawkesbury. According to the decision, a separate hearing in the case determined McLaughlin was not threatened in connection to the offences and he participated in the planning and premeditation process. “McLaughlin was creating a risk for every inmate, staff person and guest within the facility,” the decision reads. “Undermining public confidence and the expectation of safety and the role of rehabilitation in the facility and by extension the administration of justice. “Mr. McLaughlin exploited his correctional officer role, a role that provided him with trust and unparalleled access to secure areas.” Three-year sentence The decision notes McLaughlin, a first-time offender, lost his job as a correctional officer. His pre-sentence report said he has positive prospects for rehabilitation and he is remorseful for his actions, but Justice Hatt said his actions warrant a federal sentence. “The introduction of drugs and drug related activities, such as debts, in an institution creates serious risks, including violence – both amongst inmates and towards correctional officers thereby creating an unsafe environment for everyone within the institution,” the decision reads. “It is counter productive to rehabilitative efforts. It undermines the public’s confidence in the administration of justice, including trust in correctional officers and the role of the institution, and the confidence that all persons within the institution will be safe. “Mr. McLaughlin’s breach of trust is at the highest level. The opportunity for Mr. McLaughlin’s offence was only available to him because of the trust bestowed on him by the justice system, including correctional services, fellow correctional officers, inmates, and the public at large.” Justice Hatt sentenced McLaughlin to three years in prison along with a 10-year firearms prohibition. “I recognize as a former correctional officer this sentence may be difficult, relying on argument and prior case law finding that peace officers in custody often require protective custody and have lesser access to programs as a result,” the decision reads. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
