Judge orders $240,000 fine instead of seizing Halifax drug dealer's lakeside home
A Halifax man convicted of drug trafficking will keep his million-dollar lakeside house but must pay a $240,000 fine for the portion bought with illicit proceeds.
Gary (Boo) Boudreau, a 50-year-old Halifax resident, was convicted last year of multiple drug-related offences, including cocaine trafficking and money-laundering. During a 2020-21 RCMP investigation, authorities uncovered his financial records, leading the Crown to request the forfeiture of his million-dollar lakeside house on Kearney Lake. Judge Elizabeth Buckle rejected the full forfeiture, noting the home was financed with both legal and illegal money, and instead imposed a $240,120 fine representing the illicit portion.
The judge also ordered the seizure of a pontoon boat, trailer, hot tub and $47,620 in cash found during a 2020 search. Boudreau, who runs a drywall and insulation business, will be sentenced on September 16, with the prosecution seeking up to 13 years in prison and the defence asking for 3½ years. Failure to pay the fine within three years after his sentence could add two more years of incarceration.
Why it matters
The ruling shows how courts balance asset forfeiture with mixed-source funding in major drug cases.
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