J-Tornado star witness 'wanted to change' his life, testifies against former friends

The star witness in the ongoing trial of two Saint John men charged with serious drug offences arrived in court on Wednesdayto begin his testimony amid tight security and a frosty reception from old friends.

The man, a former Saint John restaurant owner whose identity is protected by a publication ban to enhance his safety, acknowledged a criminal past in court, but said he decided to help police investigate former friends and colleagues for money and a fresh start.

"I could see where this life would go.I wanted something different for my wife and my son," he said. "I wanted to change my life."

Shane Williams, of Smithtown,and Joshua Kindred, of Saint John, who are both in their 30s, are in the fifth week of a trial in Saint John's Court of Queen's Bench on various drug possession, trafficking and conspiracy charges.

The co-accused were among 28 arrested by police in 2014 as part of Operation J-Tornado, a three-year investigation into drug trafficking in New Brunswick that depended heavily on evidence gathered by the former insider.

There has been so much concern about the man's safety during his testimony, special precautions were evident from the moment he entered through a special side entrance.

He was wearing what appeared to be a protective vest under an oversized sportcoat.Five plainclothes officers with ear pieces sat in the public gallery or stood outside in the hall and five sheriff's deputies took up various positions around the courtroom.

Several friends and relatives of both Williams and Kindred were in court for the appearance and although some made a point to sit in the front row and glare at the man during his testimony, there were no incidents.

Crown prosecutor Melanie Ferron led the man through a description of his own criminal past and long association with Williams.

"We were friends.We would go out drinking,go to bars," he said.

He described how the two met while in their early 20s and developed a bond that lasted more than a decade.He testifiedthey did everything from buying and selling guns, to passing bad cheques and developing a cocaine business together.He said he had family money, while Williams had ideas and ambition.

"The first time it was the guns.I give him the money he buys the guns," he told the courtroom.

Eventually, business turned to cocaine and the man, who for a time lived in Montreal and had developed some underworld connections, claimedhe was able to help get Williams started.

"I introduced him to people in Montreal.Whenever Shane did not have cocaine, he would contact me."

But the man ran into serious legal troubles in 2007, including an impaired driving conviction that came with a $1,500 fine he left unpaid.He was eventually jailed for that and other legal troubles and around that time agreed to become a paid informer for police.

In the witness box, he downplayed his own criminal activities, saying he mostly pursued legal business opportunities, including the operation of a Saint John restaurant and convenience store and said although he did sell cocaine occasionally, it was small amounts he bought from Williams, not the other way around.

He also operated a cellphone business, whichsold secure and encrypted smartphones to clients who needed their communications kept secret.Williams was a client, he said.

Paid nearly $600K

As J-Tornado took shape, police came with an offer to switch from being a police informer to being a police agent.

"I was approached by my handlers in 2012," he said, but he turned them down.Eventually though, in early 2014, he agreed on the condition he be paid enough to finance the start of a new business.

"For financial reasons and to change my life, I agreed," he said. "We negotiated the numbers."

The entire package came close to $600,000 for his participation and included a requirement he testify in every court case J-Tornado generated.

Much of his work involved luring Williams and others into situations where they could be filmed and recorded conducting illegal transactions and convincing them to use new smartphones the RCMP had previously routed through police servers to intercept messages they sent and received.

In court on Wednesday, the Crown played video and audio of the man in his home office,distributing the phones to Williams and another accused, Robert White.In the recording, the man and Williams greet one another warmly, laugh and talk easilya sign of their long personal history.

But when Ferron asked the man to identify the closelyshaven Williams in court, there was little sign of sentimentality for his old friend.

"He's there in the (prisoners') box.The bald guy," he said, as he pointed across the room.

His testimony continues on Thursday