B.C. man gets 13-year sentence for drug offences, trying to bribe prison guard

CHILLIWACK — A man from Chilliwack, B.C., has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison on drug and weapons charges after being on the run from police for almost three months.

RCMP say William Michael Dow had multiple warrants out for his arrest after failing to appear for sentencing on June 25, before he was ultimately arrested on Sept. 17 in Chilliwack.

Dow had pleaded guilty to several offences prior to the sentencing, including weapons and substance possession charges.

Police say Dow had also tried to bribe an off-duty corrections officer at the Kent Institution to smuggle contraband into the prison in October 2020.

The original drug and weapons charges Dow faced stemmed from an extensive investigation starting in November 2019, which resulted in police seizing fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and a prohibited handgun from his home.

Police say officers served a second search warrant on Dow after the corrections officer reported the attempted bribe and investigators seized more drugs and another prohibited handgun.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2025.