A Lake Cowichan man who tossed a suitcase stuffed with $2.6 million US into the ocean in March 2011 has been sentenced to three years in prison and must forfeit the money.

In May, Jeffrey Melchior, 46, was convicted of money laundering and possession of property obtained by crime. He had been arrested on his boat just after midnight on March 25, 2011, near the Canada-U.S. border.

At Melchior's sentencing hearing on Thursday, prosecutor Sharon Steele asked for an order forfeiting the money and for a prison sentence of five years. Defence lawyer Mark Jette took no position on the forfeiture order and suggested a sentence in the range of 18 to 30 months.

Victoria provincial court Judge Ernie Quantz signed the forfeiture order for $2,625,280 US, noting that Melchior never provided specifics on how he was drawn into the situation and what his role was.

"The reasonable inference is that the monies derived from, and were going to be used for, the purchase and importation of illegal drugs," Quantz said.

Melchior declined to address the court.

During the trial, court heard that the RCMP border integrity monitoring centre spotted Melchior's small boat travelling south of Saltspring Island with no lights at high speed toward the U.S. border.

Before leaving shore, Melchior had been talking to an unidentified person about the risks of getting caught, but eventually decided to head out, Quantz said.

"Hey bro," Melchior told his associate. "It should be OK if we do the usual. I'll be watching for you."

The RCMP patrol boat almost collided with Melchior's vessel as it tried to intercept it. Melchior's boat crossed about 200 metres in front of the RCMP boat, about six minutes from the border.

The RCMP pursued Melchior, who suddenly shut off his engine. The RCMP boat passed him. As it doubled back, one of four officers on board saw Melchior drop an object the size of a cooler overboard. Two officers spotted a suitcase in the water and lifted it into their boat. In the case, which weighed 200 pounds, they found U.S. cash in vacuum-sealed packages. The officers also discovered Melchior had a radar detection device on board.

The large amount of money could be used to buy 100 kilograms of cocaine or 34 kilograms of heroin in the U.S., Steele told the sentencing hearing.

Jette told the court that Melchior had no related criminal record and that he grew up in a Langford family where he and his five siblings experienced physical and mental abuse at the hands of their father.

From an early age, he has been a high achiever and a hard worker. He delivered two morning paper routes for the Times Colonist, performed as "Diver Jeff" at the Undersea Gardens in Victoria, bringing up interesting things for tourists, and worked at Oak Bay's Sealand. He excelled at track, received the Duke of Edinburgh award and performed well in high school and at Camosun College, where he won the highest achievement award for the heavy-duty mechanics program.

Melchior worked at Victoria Shipyards until he told his employers about the charges against him. He is a good husband, a supportive father and a pillar of support to his disabled brother, Jette said.

However, Melchior also had significant problems with alcohol until 2008 and has been admitted to hospital three times for mental-health issues. Police found he lived a modest life with his family in Lake Cowichan, said Jette.

In 2010, he had a jet-ski accident that shattered his ankle and left him unable to work.

Quantz considered Melchior's significant prospects for rehabilitation and re-employment to be a mitigating factor.

ldickson@timescolonist.com

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