Former corrections official charged with smuggling drugs into jail

A former Regina corrections official is accused of smuggling drugs into the city’s correctional centre.

Justin Amyotte, 44, has been charged with committing a breach of trust as a public official by trafficking controlled substances into the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre.

According to Regina Provincial Court, the alleged offences happened between July 2023 and September 2023. The Ministry of Corrections confirmed Amyotte was employed at the facility at that time.

Amyotte also faces charges for conspiring to commit the indictable offence of trafficking controlled substances by physically arranging for the packaging, delivery and distribution of the substances into Regina Provincial Correctional Centre for resale.

Amyotte has been charged with knowingly possessing more than $5,000 in proceeds from the offences.

Amyotte’s next court date is scheduled for August 7.

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Minister concerned

Tim McLeod, minister of corrections, policing and public safety, called the incident “quite concerning”.

“I won’t comment on ongoing investigations and things of that nature, however, we are working very hard across the ministry, across government and with our partners to stamp out addictions,” McLeod said at a media event on Monday.

“If those addictions are happening through our custodial facilities, that’s an incredibly challenging situation … (as for the) individual behaviour of some folks who may bring drugs or poisons into our communities – we’re working very hard as a government to put an end to that.”

An X-ray body scanner was introduced to Regina Correctional Centre in 2019 in an effort to reduce the amount of contraband.

However, it was only used on inmates as guards were viewed as above suspicion.

McLeod was asked if the latest smuggling charge would result in guards receiving greater scrutiny going forward.

“I don’t want to comment on ongoing investigations and analysis of the situation. We do know that with every roadblock that we put up – people who are wanting to traffic drugs will find a way around that roadblock,” he said.

“We’ll continue to be diligent and make sure that we keep the drugs out of our custodial facilities, certainly, but beyond that – out of our communities and out of our province.”

– with files from 980 CJME’s Will Mandzuk