Marathon Man Charged After OPP Drug Trafficking Investigation
Joshua Bedard, 41, faces two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking following an October 7 search of a residence
MARATHON — A 41-year-old Marathon resident faces two drug charges after Ontario Provincial Police searched a local residence and reported seizing suspected cocaine, methamphetamine and evidence of trafficking.
Members of the Marathon OPP Community Street Crime Unit executed the search warrant shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
The unit received assistance from the Anishinabek Police Service, the OPP Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit and the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.
Two Charges Laid
Police arrested Joshua Bedard, 41, of Marathon, and charged him under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act 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.
Bedard is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Marathon at a later date.
The allegations have not been proven in court. The accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
What the Charges Mean
Section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act prohibits possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. One count concerns alleged possession of cocaine for trafficking, while the second concerns alleged possession of methamphetamine for trafficking. Both drugs are listed in Schedule I of the Act.
The Crown would have to prove the elements of each offence beyond a reasonable doubt, including knowing possession of the substance and an intention to traffic it. A completed sale is not required to establish possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Trafficking has a broader legal meaning than selling drugs. The Act includes unauthorized activities such as giving, transferring, transporting, sending or delivering a controlled substance, as well as offering to do those things. Money does not have to change hands.
The supplied police release does not identify the quantities seized or describe the evidence investigators believe supports the alleged intent to traffic.
Potential Penalties Upon Conviction
Under section 5(3)(a), possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking is an indictable offence carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. That maximum applies to each of the two offences described in the release.
These Schedule I offences are prosecuted by indictment, rather than under the Act’s summary-conviction provisions for certain other drug categories. Section 5 does not impose a mandatory minimum prison sentence for these offences under the current law.
Life imprisonment is the statutory ceiling, not an automatic sentence or a prediction of what would happen in this case.
If a conviction occurs, the judge must determine an appropriate sentence based on the proven circumstances. The Criminal Code requires a sentence to reflect the seriousness of the offence and the offender’s degree of responsibility. The limited information in the release does not establish what sentence would be appropriate.
Police Ask Public to Report Drug Trafficking Information
Anyone with information about illicit drug trafficking can contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
To provide information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or visit ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
