By Ian Holmes

Drug addicted fraudster jailed for Nanaimo crime spree

Apr 12, 2019 | 4:44 PM

NANAIMO — A significant run of credit card fraud to fund an uncontrollable drug habit has led to a four year prison sentence for a man from the Prairies.

Troy Joseph Chance Collier, 33, has two years and five months remaining on his sentence due to credit for time served after pleading guilty to 13 drug trafficking and fraud charges.

Collier was sentenced following a joint submission overseen by Judge Brian Harvey at provincial court in Nanaimo Thursday.

He’ll also serve 18-months probation after his jail tenure in a federal penitentiary.

Collier’s crime wave originated in his hometown of Calgary where the former oil patch worker was arrested in 2015 for a dial-a-dope drug trafficking ring.

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Crown prosecutor Basil McCormick said Collier’s short time in Nanaimo involved using fraudulent credit cards to buy thousands of dollars worth of goods from numerous businesses in March, 2018.

During that time, Nanaimo RCMP received a call from a server at a restaurant regarding an unwanted man who tried to pay for his meal with a fake credit card.

The server reported the man, identified as Collier, appeared to have drugs on him.

It was a time when lawyer Stephen Taylor said his client had a severe drug addiction, owing money to everyone.

“How bad does it have to be when you’re sitting in a restaurant trying to prepare a rig of heroin to shoot up,” Taylor said.

Collier remained sober during his year in jail and is committed to a positive post-release plan, Taylor said.

Judge Brian Harvey warned Collier more serious jail time would follow if he doesn’t change his ways.

“Certainly property related matters or any further drug matters in this jurisdiction (will lead to) a lengthy penitentiary sentence. I hope for your sake that doesn’t happen.”

Collier is banned from Nanaimo during his probation term.

He was also handed a 10-year firearms ban, ordered to provide a DNA sample and a forfeiture order was made on Collier’s illegally purchased items in Nanaimo.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporerholmes