Dana Andrew Nazarek says he got involved in the northern B.C. drug trade to provide for his family, but told jurors last week that large quantities of fentanyl, cash, and loaded guns seized from his home in February 2018 belonged to somebody else.
Nazarek took to the stand in his trial in B.C. Supreme Court, where the Fort St. John man is charged 16 counts of drug trafficking, illegal weapons possession, and possessing the proceeds of crime. He has pleaded not guilty and has elected for a trial by jury.
RCMP seized 800 fentanyl tablets, $38,000 in cash, and several firearms and other drugs when they raided Nazarek's home on 87 Avenue on Feb. 24, 2018.
Investigators have testified the seizure was indicative of a mid-level dealer, and that the home was a known stash house.
Nazarek testified that while he did possess smaller quantities of drugs for personal use, the drugs that were seized belonged to another resident who lived at the home.
Nazarek said his time in the drug trade began and ended in 2013, when a previous raid of his home found 2,000 fentanyl pills and led to a drug trafficking conviction in 2017.
He was out on bail and awaiting sentencing at the time of his arrest in 2018, and was later sentenced to 40 months in prison on those charges.
Nazarek said getting into the drug trade was a case of "Breaking Bad" to provide for his family, prompted by the lingering effects of the 2008 economic crisis.
RCMP seized various drug paraphernalia during the 2018 raid, including several baggies that Nazarek identified as being full of beads and pipe-cleaners, arts and crafts items used by his children. Contents of those baggies, however, tested positive for fentanyl, RCMP testified. Nazarek admitted to possessing a 2013 scoresheet found during the raid, which kept tallies of drugs sold and money owed.
Also last week, a digital forensics specialist with the RCMP provided technical details on three cellphones seized from the home. The phones were determined to be authentic, though defence questioned whether the phones could be cloned or impersonated.
RCMP testified that text messages pulled from the phones showed Nazarek was exchanging and buying narcotics with various individuals.
Nazarek met with an unidentified individual only known as "Orange" in February 2018 to buy drugs in Dawson Creek, RCMP testified. Officers raided his home days later.
Nazarek remains in custody. Trial resumes today (Feb. 3).
