Timothy Earl Speak Thunder Bay Hell's Angel Drug Dealer Convicted
Greg Carr
By Julio Gomes - The Chronicle-Journal
August 10, 2005
A member of the Thunder Bay Hells Angels motorcycle club has been
convicted of being part of a B.C.-based drug-smuggling network.
At a Superior Court hearing Tuesday, Timothy Earl Speak was found
guilty of seven offences, mostly related to being part of a criminal
organization that imported drugs, primarily cocaine, into Thunder Bay.
Justice John McCartney found there was enough evidence to support the
testimony of Randy Dubois, the courier who began delivering drugs from
Vancouver in 1997 and later testified against his associates in
exchange for money, a new life and immunity from prosecution.
Dubois had been arrested Jan. 24, 2003 at the Thunder Bay bus terminal
with a kilogram of cocaine.
During Speak’s seven-day trial in May, McCartney heard from 17
witnesses, mostly police officers. He was also presented a mountain of
evidence outlining the movements of the group, led by George Benjamin
Siciliano.
A massive police investigation, dubbed Project Overland, probed the
activities of the enterprise, which moved high-grade cocaine into
Thunder Bay twice and then three times a month.
Following arrests in August 2003, Siciliano and other associates
pleaded guilty to a variety of charges in 2004. Siciliano, the reputed
ringleader, was handed a 10-year prison term. His associates received
sentences ranging from five to seven years.
Speak, 46, was the only one of those charged who took his matter to
trial. He was named in an 11-count indictment.
In his judgment, McCartney acknowledged that Dubois was a drug addict
and a self-confessed liar, and that he needed independent evidence to
be convinced of Dubois’ allegations. That came in the form of
extensive travel and hotel receipts, and cellphone records that
established the nature of the group’s activity, and also established a
link between Speak and Siciliano.
As well, McCartney noted, Dubois had a key to the Academy Heights
apartment building where Speak lived. Dubois testified he would meet
Speak there to drop off drugs, which typically consisted of a kilo of
cocaine or five kg of marijuana.
McCartney convicted Speak of conspiring to traffic in cocaine,
possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, and being in
association with a criminal organization, Siciliano’s operation.
The conspiracy to traffic offence carries a maximum term of life in
prison.
During a break following the verdict, Speak turned amiably to a group
of police officers in civilian clothing and jokingly said: “I guess
you guys won’t have to worry about me for a while.”
Despite a request from the federal prosecutor, McCartney did not order
Speak to be taken into custody. He’s to return to court Sept. 28 for a
sentencing hearing.
Speak also has a trial set for Sept. 12 on a charge that he breached
bail conditions by failing to turn over to police all of his Hells
Angels materials.
When court was over Tuesday, Speak was seen driving away in a Cadillac
sedan.
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=28401
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It would be great if the court set an example and sentenced him to
life. If found guilty of the breach add another year to the sentence.
He should also be hit with a million dollar fine.