B.C. judge orders man extradited to the U.S. to face drug charges

VANCOUVER – A B.C. Supreme Court judge agreed enough evidence exists to extradite a man wanted south of the border on drug charges, even as she criticized a submission by an assistant U.S. attorney.

Jason Leonard Boyachek is wanted on the equivalent Canadian charges of conspiracy to traffic drugs and conspiracy to possess property obtained by crime.

Justice Susan Griffin noted evidence submitted by U.S. authorities included a plea deal with former Vancouver restaurateur David Downing who agreed to distribute marijuana with Boyachek in Chicago beginning in 2005.

She says Downing also kept drug ledgers that showed the laundering of more than $3.5 million in 2005 and 2006.

But Griffin has also faulted Patrick Reinert, the assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, for being “less careful than he should have been,” “argumentative” and “careless” when writing the case record.

Boyachek has been sent to the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam, B.C., and won’t be surrendered to U.S. authorities for 30 days until the appeal term expires.