Kelowna woman sentenced to jail for drugs and gun found in her apartment

KELOWNA – A Kelowna woman who agreed to store drugs and a gun at her apartment for her boyfriend was sentenced to 14 months in jail today.

Tabitha Ann Podlubny was 24 years old when she was arrested with two other women in her apartment off Lakeshore Road Jan. 5, 2013.

Stored in the kitchen and master bedroom, RCMP found six ounces of cocaine, two ounces of heroin and 1.5 ounces of marijuana, scales, a score sheet, cash and a handgun. She was charged with multiple counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and several weapons-related offences.

Her lawyer Kelly Christensen says the gun and drugs belonged to Podlubny’s boyfriend and described her participation as 'minor' but judge J. James Threlfall disagreed. He handed her a 14-month jail sentence, only four months less than what Crown was asking for but significantly more than the suspended sentence her lawyer wanted.

“I have difficulty accepting her characterization as naive,” he said. "This was not the act of a naive individual. It was clearly a sophisticated operation… and her role was central.”

Krystal Elizabeth Wickman, a second arrested with Podlubny, was acquitted of all charges.

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