A Timmins man is off the hook for drug charges levied against him as part of an alleged cocaine bust near Elliot Lake and Blind River.

According to his lawyer Sharon Sabourin, 45-year old David Helmer was originally charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Sabourin says “there was no money seized from him, and no drugs found in his residence.”

Though the local lawyer says Helmer did plead to “a simple possession of a small amount of marijuana (for a fine) which he was not originally charged with and that was found in the common area of his apartment building.”

Back in early April 2016, OPP say “over the course of the investigation two vehicle stops and three search warrants were executed, which resulted in the combined seizure of 282 grams of cocaine, 9 pounds of marijuana, 120 oxycodone pills and $64,000 cash.”

The street value was said to be around $112,000.

Sabourin says the Federal Crown admitted in their submissions that there were problems with their case, and that they had no reasonable prospect of conviction.

She goes on to add in her statement that while the matter was before the courts—from February 2016 to January 2017—there were numerous unanswered letters requesting disclosure of the Federal Crown.

“There were two Stinchcombe applications brought for the Court to intervene and Order that the Federal Crown provide the requested and missing disclosure, which is what prevented Mr. Helmer from moving the matter forward or setting it down for a trial to be able to prove his innocence.”

“The missing disclosure was never ultimately produced.”

The two possession charges against 36-year old Christina Chester in the same bust were also dropped.

Filed under: Local News