A 23-year-old Vancouver man faces six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing fentanyl and cocaine for trafficking purposes in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Zachary Emmanuel Sullivan entered guilty pleas last September to the two charges following his arrest in November 2024.
Investigation Targets Drug Network
Charlottetown Police Services’ Street Crime Unit launched an investigation in July 2024 into a suspected drug trafficking operation linked to Moncton, New Brunswick. Authorities identified a group distributing controlled substances in the Charlottetown area, utilizing rental vehicles and short-term stays in motels and Airbnbs.
A confidential tip in September 2024 alerted police to the group’s return, highlighting sales of fentanyl and cocaine. Investigators received a description of one suspect—a tall Black man with shaggy hair—later identified as Sullivan. Officers monitored him for weeks using in-person surveillance and the city’s E-Watch cameras.
Surveillance Leads to Arrest
Police observed Sullivan driving rental SUVs to meet individuals known to authorities as street-level drug traffickers. Investigators placed a tracking device on one vehicle and installed a covert surveillance camera at a suspected residence, later relocating it to a Woodbine Street address in Charlottetown’s west end.
In November 2024, officers executed a search warrant at the Woodbine Street home, arresting Sullivan and seizing 225 grams of fentanyl mixed with benzodiazepine, over 250 grams of cocaine, $4,500 in cash, three cellphones, a digital scale, a vacuum sealer, an $8,200 bank deposit receipt, and a notebook with phone numbers.
Sentencing Considers Background and Deterrence
During the sentencing hearing in P.E.I. Supreme Court, Justice Jonathan Coady emphasized that a substantial prison term would serve as a deterrent and deliver a “sharp message.” Sullivan had no prior criminal record but grew up amid domestic violence, substance abuse, poverty, and instability in British Columbia. The judge highlighted the impact of racism on Sullivan as a mixed-race individual, stating the sentence should not “crush hope” for his rehabilitation.
Sullivan receives credit for 682 days already served in custody.
