When the cops raided Shane Erdman's west-end home on a summer night four years ago, they found a "drug emporium."
The small two-storey Wallace Terrace residence was full of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, weapons and ammunition when the officers executed a search warrant shortly after 8 p.m. on July 15, 2020.
On Tuesday, Superior Court Justice Michael Varpio found the 35-year-old local man guilty of nine charges following a three-day trial in June.
Nearly every room in the home, except a child's bedroom and a bathroom, "contained some narcotic, tool used in the drug trafficking trade, weapon or ammunition," he said.
"The prevalence of pill bottles, scales, white powder and other such evidence, much of which was in plain view," leads to a conclusion that the home's residents knew it was being used "as a virtual narcotic convenience store," the judge said.
Erdman, the homeowner, resided there and had a quantity of cocaine and $960 in cash on him that night.
This proves beyond a reasonable doubt the accused was "involved in the drug culture at the same time that his home was being used as a drug emporium," Varpio said in his 10-page written decision.
"In other words, Mr. Erdman clearly allowed his home to be used as a base for drug trafficking. No other conclusion is possible."
However, this finding isn't enough to convict him of possession of every item in the house, he said.
When the police arrived at the home they found four individuals, including Erdman, there. Two of the men were located sitting on the bed in his bedroom.
Officers seized narcotics, weapons, cash and ammunition from the second-floor room.
Varpio said he's satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that, except for items located on and under the bed, Erdman had knowledge and control of the seized items and possessed them for the purpose of trafficking.
The house was full of narcotics, was being used as a trafficking depot and the bedroom belonged to Erdman.
The impugned items were found all over the messy bedroom — in a dresser, a safe, closet and behind a computer — and the drugs, paraphernalia and ammunition were strewn throughout the room.
"It is inconceivable that Mr. Erdman would be in physical possession of cocaine and cash on his person while located in a drug den that he owned, but did not have possession of the narcotics and weapons found in his bedroom," Varpio said.
Some of the narcotics — fentanyl and crystal meth — were located on or partially under the bed and it is possible that those drugs belonged to the two men sitting there, he said.
This raises a reasonable doubt whether Erdman had control of them, the judge concluded.
Conversely, there's no question that the accused possessed the .303 Lee-Enfield rifle found under the bed.
Guns and drugs often go "hand in hand" and the only inference is that it was there for protection, he said.
Erdman was convicted of four offences involving the rifle: careless storage, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possessing the weapon knowing it wasn't licensed and having a dangerous weapon.
He also was found guilty of a further weapons charge involving bear mace and a count of possession of property obtained by crime (Canadian currency).
The remaining three convictions were for drug offences: possession of cocaine, oxycodone and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.
Varpio found him not guilty of a number of other charges stemming from the incident.
A sentencing date will be set on Sept. 11.