An Edmonton senior was put under house arrest Friday after being convicted of being a part of a large cocaine trafficking operation in Fort McMurray run by his son.

John Norman Caines, 65, was handed a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community on charges of conspiring to traffic cocaine, being a party to trafficking cocaine and possession of proceeds of crime.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice John Gill noted the punishment was on the “low end” for the “very serious” crimes, but accepted it was a fit sentence due to Caines’ age, his lack of a prior criminal record and his “limited role” in his son’s cocaine trafficking operation.

Caines, a former Newfoundland man who owns several businesses in Fort McMurray, was ordered to be under house arrest for the first 15 months of the sentence and to abide by a nightly curfew for the balance.

He must also perform 150 hours of community service.

Court has heard the drug charges relate to Caines’ involvement in a cocaine distribution operation headed by Jeffrey Caines, 37, which was trafficking large quantities of cocaine in the Fort McMurray area.

Both father and son were among 18 people, including two Edmonton Hells Angels, charged in 2006 following a two-year police investigation, known as Project KOKER, that targeted drug trafficking and organized crime in Alberta.

The wiretap-surveillance operation resulted in police seizing 20 kg of cocaine, three kilograms of marijuana, methamphetamine, a number of guns and prohibited weapons and more than $2 million in money, cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, jewelry and homes.

Gill ruled the evidence showed John Caines knew his son was the head of the drug ring and acted to insulate him from police detection and prosecution.

As well, the judge found John Caines helped count drug proceeds, attempted to collect drug proceeds and was paid $3,000 from the drug proceeds for his assistance.

Caines testified in his own defence that he knew what his son was allegedly doing, but claimed he had no role in the drug business and never participated in the operation. And while he admitted counting and trying to collect drug money, he said it was simply done as a favour for a friend.

However, Gill rejected his evidence, saying his testimony was evasive and inconsistent and “appeared designed to mislead the court and minimize his involvement.”

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Caines, 38, was handed a 14-year prison term on Oct. 7 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine and possession of proceeds of crime.

The judge in that case also ordered a number of items seized by police from Jeffrey Caines – including more than $100,000 in cash, a Cadillac Escalade, a Corvette, a Yamaha motorcycle, three snowmobiles, three quads, a travel trailer and a mini-chopper – forfeited to the Crown.

The trial of Hells Angels Alan Knapczyk, 37, and John Reginald Alcantara, 39, continues. Court has heard the pair allegedly conspired with Jeffrey Caines to traffic cocaine in Fort McMurray and the bikers provided protection for the people he supplied in return for a fee.

Alcantara is already serving a 14-year prison term after earlier being convicted of conspiring to traffic cocaine.