Skip to content

Two drug dealers busted in 'high-risk traffic stop' have sentence hearing set

Although four people were initially arrested in high-profile takedown on Nov. 4, 2021, a jury convicted two and acquitted two; sentencing hearing set for Sept. 19
220721saultcourthouseMP
The Sault Ste. Marie Courthouse is pictured in this file photo.

Two men found guilty by a jury of three drug-related offences last month will be in court Sept. 19 for sentencing.

Mickey Buonomo, 44, and Shane Whiteman, 45, were among four people charged in connection with a Nov. 4, 2021 incident that Sault Ste. Marie police described as a high-risk traffic stop.

The pair were convicted of possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a prohibited weapon (a conductive energy weapon).

SEE: $260K in narcotics seized on Pine Street

When they delivered their verdicts on April 22, the jurors also found two other co-accused not guilty of the same charges.

Vanessa McKinnon, 33, and Brodie Barnes, 34, were with the duo when city police officers spotted a wanted man in a vehicle on Pine Street.

The quartet was charged with a myriad offences, but in April they were at the Sault courthouse to face three charges stemming from their interaction with police that day. 

Superior Court Justice Patrick Boucher, regional senior judge for the northeast region, presided at the trial.

The sentencing date was set last week, when the federal prosecutor and defence lawyers indicated they had agreed to a date for the hearing.



About the Author: Linda Richardson

Linda Richardson is a freelance journalist who has been covering Sault Ste. Marie's courts and other local news for more than 45 years.
Read more