A Mountie who made headlines for smoking pot while on duty and wearing his ceremonial red uniform has been found dead in his New Brunswick home.

The Fredericton Daily Gleaner confirmed the death of 21-year RCMP veteran Cpl. Ron Francis through his lawyer, T.J. Burke.

Francis, a married father of two, was found dead Monday afternoon.

“He was more than a client to me. He was my childhood friend,” Burke told The Daily Gleaner. “This is a tremendous loss to the First Nations communities of New Brunswick.”

In December, the RCMP sent officers to check on Francis after he was stripped of his uniform and placed on leave and police allege he assaulted officers during that visit.

He faced six charges in total and had pleaded guilty to three offences in May.

He was to be sentenced in November.

Francis was prescribed the marijuana to help him deal with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

He was visibly emotional when he handed in his uniforms on Nov. 29.

"I earned this," Francis said. "I earned it with my blood, my sweat, my tears."