15 YEARS FOR SMUGGLING ECSTASY

U.S. Court Sentences Montreal Woman

In a case that illustrates how much harsher the U.S. justice system is
in comparison to Canada's, a Montreal woman has been sentenced to a
15-year sentence for trying to smuggle ecstasy across the border last spring.

Tara Haynes was caught at a border crossing on June 2, driving a
rented car found to have 70,000 ecstasy pills hidden inside.

During a sentence hearing Monday in a federal court in Albany, N.Y.,
the 35-year-old woman was sentenced to a prison term of 188 months.

By comparison, Haynes's brother, reputed street gang leader Roy
(Capone) Haynes, 36, is to be sentenced Feb. 16 in Montreal court in
an unrelated case. The prosecution is seeking a 10-year sentence.

Roy Haynes pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organization,
drug trafficking and two counts of conspiracy - charges brought
against him in Project Satellite, an investigation that revealed he
ran an extensive crack cocaine trafficking ring in western Montreal
over a period of at least 15 months.

Tara Haynes was initially charged in Project Satellite with possession
of marijuana, but the case was dropped.

She had no previous criminal record, while her brother has already
served a two-year sentence for armed robbery.

Tara Haynes's lawyer, Brian Barrett, sought to reduce her sentence by
challenging several aspects of her trial last summer, including the
amount of methamphetamine contained in the pills seized from the rented car.

In August, a jury found her guilty of importing more than 500 grams of
methamphetamine into the U.S. and intending to distribute it.

"The (U.S.) government was actually asking for 235 months and that she
be given an enhanced sentence because they claimed she had engaged in
obstruction of justice while testifying at her trial," Barrett said.
"But the judge did not find any of that and sentenced her to
absolutely the low end of the guideline rating."

U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino recommended that Haynes be
considered for the U.S./Canadian Treaty Transfer Program, which could
see her returned to Canada in a year.

If she is returned, Haynes would be eligible for parole after serving
one-third of her sentence. In the U.S., Haynes would be required to
serve at least 85 per cent before she could be released.