On April 18th, 2021, RCMP pulled over a vehicle on Queen Street in Smithers during a routine traffic stop and found drug paraphernalia upon questioning the driver.

The driver of the vehicle, who was Mayor of Telkwa at the time, Bradley Layton, was arrested on site and released shortly after before being processed pending further investigation, according to an RCMP press release.

Then on February 22, 2022 the BC Prosecution Service approved a single charge of Possession of Fentanyl.

Fentanyl, is a powerful opioid used as a pain medication and, together with other medications, for anesthesia. It is also used as a recreational drug, sometimes mixed with heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine, and its potentially deadly.

Fentanyl has also been identified as one of the most harmful illicit drugs in B.C. 85 per cent of illicit drug toxicity deaths in B.C. between 2019-2021 are attributed to fentanyl. The highest rate of deaths due to illicit drugs in B.C. are within the Northern Health region.

Following the drug charge, Layton resigned as the Mayor of Telkwa in January and is due back in court April 5th.