Three face cocaine and meth trafficking charges after a Highway 17 stop in Machin

Dryden – NEWS – Three people are facing drug trafficking-related charges after a March 18 traffic stop on Highway 17 east of Armstrong Street in the Municipality of Machin. The investigation, led by the Dryden OPP community street crime unit with assistance from Treaty Three Police Service and members of the Dryden detachment, is another reminder of how closely police monitor the Trans-Canada corridor through Northwestern Ontario.

Charges laid after March 18 traffic stop

Police say the stop happened shortly before 9:30 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The investigation resulted in the arrest of three people and the seizure of suspected illicit drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, crack cocaine and prescription drugs.

Adele Finch, 70, of Dryden, is charged with possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine, and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — methamphetamine. She was scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Dryden on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Angel Leckner, 40, of Dryden, is charged with possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine, and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — methamphetamine. She is scheduled to appear in Dryden court on Monday, April 27, 2026.

Sheena Robson, 41, of Winnipeg, is charged with possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — cocaine, and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking — methamphetamine. She was scheduled to appear in Dryden court on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Police reported seizing suspected crack cocaine and prescription drugs as well, but no separate charges tied to those substances were listed in the release.

What the charges mean

These are not simple possession charges. The offences announced are under section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which makes it illegal to possess a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. In law, “traffic” is defined broadly: it can mean selling, giving, transferring, transporting, sending or delivering a substance, or even offering to do so. The act also states that cocaine and methamphetamine are Schedule I substances. “Possession” is also broader than having drugs in a pocket; under the Criminal Code definition adopted by the CDSA, it can include personal possession, joint possession with others, or knowingly having something in a place for a person’s use or benefit.

Potential penalties if there is a conviction

Because the allegations involve Schedule I substances, the charge is a straight indictable offence and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. That does not mean a life sentence is automatic. Actual penalties depend on the amount of drugs involved, the Crown’s evidence about intent to traffic, the accused person’s role, prior record, and any aggravating or mitigating factors.

Under section 10 of the CDSA, aggravating factors can include weapons, violence, trafficking near schools or places frequented by youth, trafficking to a person under 18, or involving a young person in the offence.

Typical sentences vary widely. Case-law summaries show Ontario sentences for small street-level crack cocaine trafficking often fall in the range of six months to two years less a day, while larger commercial cocaine cases can move into multi-year penitentiary terms, with some kilogram-level cocaine or methamphetamine trafficking cases drawing much steeper penalties.

Why the case matters in Northwestern Ontario

For Dryden, Thunder Bay and other Northwestern Ontario communities, drug trafficking investigations on Highway 17 carry broader regional significance. The highway is the main east-west route through the region, connecting communities, commercial traffic and cross-border movement with Manitoba. Police enforcement along that corridor is closely watched because drug trafficking can intensify pressures on public safety, addictions services and already strained health and social supports.

Presumption of innocence and next steps

None of the allegations has been proven in court. All three accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Anyone with information about crime in the community can contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.