A 35-year-old Georgian Bay Township man has been sentenced after police seized drugs, firearms, and cash during a search warrant execution in Mactier.
Kyle Matts appeared in a Bracebridge courtroom where he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
In November 2024, the Orillia Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) began investigating an individual believed to be trafficking drugs while in possession of a firearm. With assistance from the Muskoka CSCU, officers used investigative techniques to confirm the allegations.
Police executed a search warrant at a Mactier residence, where they located a crossbow with a scope, a 9 mm Glock handgun, ammunition for various firearms, and scales.
A second warrant at another Muskoka location uncovered a second loaded Glock handgun, additional ammunition, $2,725 in cash, and two locked safes. Inside the safes, officers found $3,500, approximately 506 grams of cocaine, more than 500 tabs of LSD, and 220 grams of cannabis.
The court also heard Matts has an extensive criminal record, including 14 prior convictions, and has served multiple jail sentences. He was described as a “mid-level” drug trafficker. The court heard Matts had previously received a lifetime weapons ban in September 2020.
The Crown sought a sentence of four and a half years in custody, while the defence argued for three years.
Justice Philip Brissette ultimately imposed a three-year sentence, citing triable issues and Matts’ Indigenous background.
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With 14 prior convictions, an indigenous background should not factor into a judges decision.