[Scan-DC] Convict accused of importing scanner jammers

[Alan Henney]

The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)

April 6, 2010 Tuesday 
Final Edition

Convict accused of importing scanner jammers; Man facing new drug smuggling charges had parole revoked for importing devices to block police radio calls

BYLINE: Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun

SECTION: WESTCOAST NEWS; Pg. A6

LENGTH: 563 words

A B.C. man recently charged with smuggling drugs into the U.S. was importing illegal devices into Canada to jam police radios, according to documents obtained by The Vancouver Sun.

Accused smuggler Sean (Chrome) Doak, who is the subject of a U.S. extradition request, may also be charged in Canada "for importing devices that are used to block police radio transmissions," parole documents state.

The information was provided to the National Parole Board in February as board members were deciding whether to revoke Doak's release after an earlier drug-ring conviction on this side of the border. 

"On Feb. 16, 2010, your parole supervisor was notified by the police that a parcel shipped to you from China had been intercepted. The parcel contained radio jammers that are used to block police radio frequencies," the parole documents state. "The police report added that radio jammers are commonly used by individuals involved in organized crime and as such, these devices are illegal in Canada."

Doak explained at the hearing that his wife had inadvertently imported the jammers not knowing they were illegal and without Doak's knowledge.

But the parole board wasn't buying it.

"The board did not find your account of the exportation of police jammers to be credible nor persuasive," the board said in a ruling released March 23.

It was just one of the factors used to revoke Doak's full parole.

The board also said the fact that he is alleged to have participated in a similar drug crime to the one for which he was convicted in May 2007 was a major factor.

"Your indictment by U.S. authorities on a serious drug charge indicates that despite your period of incarceration and participation in correctional programming, your behaviour demonstrates that your propensity for criminal behaviour remains," the ruling said. "The board believes that your risk to re-offend cannot be managed in the community."

Three years ago, Doak was found by a B.C. Supreme Court judge to be the leader of "a massive conspiracy to transport tons of marijuana from British Columbia into the United States."

He was sentenced to seven years, but released on day parole after six years.

The Chilliwack man was arrested again in March 2009 in connection with another large cross-border drug-smuggling conspiracy in which law enforcement agencies seized close to $15 million worth of marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy, as well as two B.C.-based helicopters.

But Doak was not immediately charged and he got full parole last September despite the new allegations against him.

He was named in the U.S. indictment in December 2009, along with Colin Hugh Martin, James Gregory Cameron and Adam Christian Serrano.

An extradition request was made in February, according to the parole documents.

Doak and the others are charged with conspiring to import large amounts of marijuana and ecstasy into the U.S. and trying to smuggle cocaine back into Canada.

Also named in the U.S. indictment is United Nations gangster Joe Curry, who was ordered extradited in February.

Doak's lawyer tried to argue at the parole hearing that it was unfair to use the U.S. indictment to keep Doak in jail in Canada because the U.S. case was based on "flimsy information."

The lawyer also said "it would be an infringement of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were the board to revoke your full parole based on this information alone."

kbolan at vancouversun.com