Edmonton AB - An Edmonton police officer was found guilty Tuesday of selling anabolic steroids to his colleagues.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Scott Brooker found Edmonton Police Service Det. Greg Lewis guilty of two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance.
Lewis, a former member of the EPS drug and gang enforcement unit, was found not guilty on a third charge.
"Given (the) convictions on two of those charges, disciplinary proceedings under the Police Service Regulation will now be initiated," said EPS spokesperson Carolin Maran.
While reading his decision, Brooker detailed how Lewis, 36, was a "proponent of fitness" who had a reputation for knowing where to find steroids.
Sentencing put off
Sentencing for Lewis has been put off while the defence considers a Jordan application. Under the Supreme Court's 2016 Jordan decision, a case can be tossed out if it takes more than 18 months, or an unreasonable amount of time to go to trial.
Lewis and another EPS officer were charged with selling steroids in March 2015 after a two-year investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.
Since then, Lewis has been suspended without pay, although he is still a member of the EPS. He's been on the force for 13 years.
The Crown, defence and Justice Brooker will meet again Feb. 23 to decide on a sentencing date.
During the trial, the defence questioned whether Lewis had intent to make the offer of steroids to his colleagues.
Brooker said he was satisfied with the Crown's position that Lewis intended to offer and sell the steroids to his colleagues on multiple occasions.
Colleagues testified at trial
At Lewis's trial, several officers testified they bought the steroid Winstrol, also known as Stanozolol, from Lewis between 2007 and 2013.
The officers said they used the drug for various reasons, from losing fat to gaining muscle mass.
Sgt. Adam Toma, who at one point worked with Lewis on the drug and gang unit, testified that he drove with Lewis to a McDonald's parking lot in Oliver Square where Lewis gave him a screw-cap bottle. Toma said 50 yellow pills were in the bottle, and the label read Winstrol.
The other officer charged with Lewis, Darren French, pleaded guilty in June 2016 to two counts of trafficking Stanozolol and Methyl-1-Testosterone.
French's sentence included probation, community service and a $1,500 fine. The 25-year veteran retired from the police service in April 2015.
