Sudbury drug trafficker with a troubled past sentenced to 10 years

Joseph Hagar, a southern Ontario resident who was arrested in April 2023 in Sudbury for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, was sentenced to 10 years in prison despite having a history of mental and social trauma. The judge said it was the minimum sentence he could have imposed given the severity of the crimes.

At the time of his arrest, police searched Hagar and his vehicle and found more than 660 grams of cocaine, 140 grams of fentanyl, $50,000 in cash, a firearm, packaging materials and several cell phones. The total value of the items was estimated at $161,000. He operated near an elementary school and in residential areas and was under police surveillance.

A troubled past
According to the court report, Hagar was sexually abused as a child in a foster home. His mother sent him to Ghana at the age of 15 to get him out of the abusive environment. There, he was kidnapped by rebels and tortured for two days. He was away from his family for five years, living on the streets of Ghana. After returning to Canada at the age of 20, he failed to deal with the trauma of his childhood and became addicted to crack cocaine for a while, but managed to kick the habit.

He later had a child with his partner, graduated from high school, and started his own trucking company. But after the charges were filed, he lost all his work contracts and his home. In 2024, he also suffered a brain aneurysm and underwent surgery, a condition that has affected his decision-making and behavioral control.

Social risks and the court’s decision
The police were slow to inform him of the findings at the time of his arrest, which delayed his consultation with his lawyer. However, Judge Leonard Kim said Hagar resisted arrest, was carrying a loaded gun and has a prior conviction.

Judge Kim stressed that selling fentanyl in an area like Sudbury, which had one of the highest opioid-related death rates in 2023, is extremely dangerous and concerning. He added that fentanyl poses a serious threat not only to users, but also to families and emergency responders.

Ultimately, Hagar was sentenced to 8 years in prison for the drug trafficking offense and 4 years for the weapons offense. With the total sentence reduced to 10 years and time served, he will serve an additional 8.2 years in prison.

The judge concluded:
“Imposing a lesser sentence would send the wrong message to those who seek to exploit the vulnerability of addicts for financial gain.”

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