A Nova Scotia sailboat captain’s sentencing on cocaine charges has been adjourned for a third time, after he parted ways with his lawyer.
Jacques John Grenier, 69, was caught smuggling millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine on his vessel in East River, Lunenburg County, last Labour Day weekend.
Grenier pleaded guilty in November to charges of importation and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
He was supposed to be sentenced Monday in Halifax provincial court but he told the court he was no longer represented by Brad Sarson.
Lawyer Patrick MacEwen told the court he was appearing with Grenier on a limited retainer.
Judge Gregory Lenehan rescheduled the hearing for March 20 and remanded Grenier back to the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.
Grenier lived on his 9.14-metre boat, Quesera, at East River Marine. He was arrested at the marina on the night of Sept. 3 after arriving from Saint-Martin in the Caribbean.
Canada Border Services Agency officers found numerous bricks of cocaine hidden on the vessel before calling the Mounties for assistance.
RCMP said the packages of coke weighed about 273 kilograms.
Police also arrested Luc Chevrefils, 59, of Saint-Zotique, Que., at a hotel in Dartmouth. He’s charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and conspiracy to import cocaine.
Chevrefils got bail Sept. 21 and was ordered toreside at his father’s house in Quebec under a 10 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew. His case is due back in court March 21.
Outside court Monday, MacEwen said he expects to be fully retained by Grenier.
MacEwen and Crown attorney Glen Scheuer both said they hope the sentencing can happen March 20.
“Obviously, with these matters, sometimes there’s a number of moving parts,” Scheuer said.
“It may be that the sentencing date needs to be adjourned again, but the hope is that it is concluded on the 20th.”
Grenier has had facial cancer surgery since his arrest.
