A Sarnia man has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking mere hours after being released on bail.
Franco Marco Pintus, 47, who is already facing more than a dozen charges, was released Thursday around 4 pm But around 10 am Friday he was allegedly caught with cash and crystal methamphetamine in a Sarnia grocery store.
“Arrested and charged by members of the Sarnia police IMPACT team,” Sarnia police spokesperson Tristen Vosburg said Saturday via email.
In addition to possession of meth for the purpose of trafficking, Pintus was charged Friday with resisting Sarnia police Const. Christopher Beauchamp, attempted theft from the Real Canadian Superstore worth less than $5,000, and three counts of failing to comply with probation.
After being freed for about 18 hours, justice of the peace Debra Isaac told Pintus Friday afternoon as he stood in the Sarnia courtroom’s prisoner’s box he was being remanded into custody and adjourned the new set of charges to Monday.
Pintus was previously facing charges of disguise with intent, theft worth less than $5,000, resisting police, possession of a prohibited weapon without a licence, three counts of possession of a weapon contrary to a court order, six counts of failing to comply with probation, failing to comply with an undertaking, and failing to comply with a release order. The charges, which haven’t been tested in court, stem from alleged incidents in October, November and February. He was released on bail all three times before being arrested again Friday.
Pintus was convicted in August of more than a dozen charges and received four months in jail despite the judge feeling it was a lenient sentence for a repetitive string of crimes. Pintus was also sentenced in 2017 to 25 days in jail for theft.