PEI

Albany, P.E.I., man sentenced to 6 years in prison over drug, weapons seizure

RCMP in Prince County say the P.E.I. Supreme Court has sentenced an Albany man to six years in prison over what was found in a 2019 search.

Dustin Noonan given federal sentence; brother sentenced earlier

Police seized a variety of weapons and drugs while executing a search warrant in Albany, P.E.I., in April 2019. Dustin Noonan pleaded guilty to two charges related to the seizure. (RCMP)

A man from Albany, P.E.I., has been sentenced to six years in prison over weapons and drugs found during a 2019 search in North Tryon.

Dustin Joseph Leo Noonan has been in custody since he was arrested in April of that year. He turns 28 on Tuesday.

Noonan pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded restricted or prohibited weapon, in this case a sawed-off .22-calibre rifle with nine rounds in the magazine. The serial number had been obscured.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.

Prince District RCMP, operating with a search warrant, seized weapons and drugs from a property in North Tryon in April 2019. (Sarah MacMillan/CBC)

On Friday in Supreme Court in Summerside, Noonan was sentenced to three years on each charge for a total of six years. Other charges against him were stayed but referred to during sentencing.

According to an RCMP release, in the 2019 drug raid, police seized about 3.5 pounds of methamphetamine pills, about two ounces of crystal meth, what was described as a small amount of cocaine, and digital scales.

In addition to the sawed-off rifle, police said during the raid they seized:  

  • A loaded shotgun.
  • Three hand pellet guns and two long pellet guns.
  • A large amount of knives and a machete.
  • Brass knuckles.
  • Two batons.
  • Bear spray. 

His co-accused, his brother Nathan George William Noonan, pleaded guilty last year to firearms offences. He received a sentence of 18 months in jail.

Back in 2013, Dustin Noonan was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a violent home invasion.

He pleaded guilty at the time to charges of breaking and enter to commit a robbery and wearing a mask to commit an indictable offence. 

The court heard evidence of text messages recovered by police that determined Noonan, then 20, was the principal attacker among the nine people who carried out the August 2012 assault.

His brother Nathan was one of the co-accused in that incident and was sentenced to two years.

More from CBC P.E.I.

With files from Sally Pitt