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BRIDGEWATER - It sounds like guilty pleas are pending in the case of a Bridgewater man accused of operating an internet steroids business from his home.
Kevin Wayne Tanner's name was back on the provincial court docket in Bridgewater December 17 to arrange a pre-trial conference between Crown, defence and a judge.
However, defence lawyer Alan Ferrier indicated the case may not proceed to trial as scheduled in January. He told Judge Alan Tufts he and federal prosecutor Josh Bryson are making headway.
"Mr. Bryson and I are going to be working hard in the next few days before Christmas to try to bring the matter to a resolution," Mr. Ferrier said.
When the case comes before the court in January, Mr. Tanner will likely enter guilty pleas to some of the charges he faces. Mr. Ferrier suggested there may be a joint recommendation on sentence or the sentence may be contested, requiring one or both sides to call evidence.
"The issues that may be in dispute are factual issues. They're not legal issues," Mr. Ferrier said.
The trial is set to proceed January 12, 13 and 14, but the case will be back on the docket January 7 to determine if a pre-trial conference is needed.
Mr. Tanner, 40, faces charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Customs Act and the Food and Drug Act involving raw hormones, steroids and counteracting drugs he was allegedly importing, producing and selling over the internet.
Authorities are also alleging that his home, a car, an investment account and cash seized are proceeds of his crimes.
Investigators found what they estimated to be $400,000 worth of steroids, raw hormone products, lab equipment and $46,000 cash when they searched Mr. Tanner's Elm Street home in late January 2007.
They allege he used a series of false names, fake addresses, postal outlets and courier companies to buy raw hormone products from China over the internet, which he then processed into anabolic steroids in a lab set up in a spare bedroom in his home and sold to customers across Canada and the United States.
Authorities found 21 types of steroids and four drugs to counteract the side effects of steroid use during the probe. They say Mr. Tanner promoted the sale of his products, under the name Illusion Laboratories, in internet chat rooms and on message boards.
A separate trial date has been set for February 3 to hear other charges relating to the probe. Those include allegations that the Bridgewater man had child pornography on a computer seized during the search and accessed a computer in late January 2007 after being ordered not to as a term of his release.
Kevin Wayne Tanner's name was back on the provincial court docket in Bridgewater December 17 to arrange a pre-trial conference between Crown, defence and a judge.
However, defence lawyer Alan Ferrier indicated the case may not proceed to trial as scheduled in January. He told Judge Alan Tufts he and federal prosecutor Josh Bryson are making headway.
"Mr. Bryson and I are going to be working hard in the next few days before Christmas to try to bring the matter to a resolution," Mr. Ferrier said.
When the case comes before the court in January, Mr. Tanner will likely enter guilty pleas to some of the charges he faces. Mr. Ferrier suggested there may be a joint recommendation on sentence or the sentence may be contested, requiring one or both sides to call evidence.
"The issues that may be in dispute are factual issues. They're not legal issues," Mr. Ferrier said.
The trial is set to proceed January 12, 13 and 14, but the case will be back on the docket January 7 to determine if a pre-trial conference is needed.
Mr. Tanner, 40, faces charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Customs Act and the Food and Drug Act involving raw hormones, steroids and counteracting drugs he was allegedly importing, producing and selling over the internet.
Authorities are also alleging that his home, a car, an investment account and cash seized are proceeds of his crimes.
Investigators found what they estimated to be $400,000 worth of steroids, raw hormone products, lab equipment and $46,000 cash when they searched Mr. Tanner's Elm Street home in late January 2007.
They allege he used a series of false names, fake addresses, postal outlets and courier companies to buy raw hormone products from China over the internet, which he then processed into anabolic steroids in a lab set up in a spare bedroom in his home and sold to customers across Canada and the United States.
Authorities found 21 types of steroids and four drugs to counteract the side effects of steroid use during the probe. They say Mr. Tanner promoted the sale of his products, under the name Illusion Laboratories, in internet chat rooms and on message boards.
A separate trial date has been set for February 3 to hear other charges relating to the probe. Those include allegations that the Bridgewater man had child pornography on a computer seized during the search and accessed a computer in late January 2007 after being ordered not to as a term of his release.
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