Former Winnipeg bagel shop owner sentenced to over 4 years for possessing proceeds of crime linked to drugs

The former owner of a Winnipeg bagel shop apologized for the role he played in a high-level drug operation in court on Wednesday, before being taken into custody to begin serving a prison sentence of more than four years.

"I truly apologize to the community and the harm that I affected. I'm really apologetic to my family and all the hurt and pain that I've caused," Chris Silva said in a quiet voice from the prisoner's box before Manitoba Court of King's Bench Justice Shauna McCarthy.

"Giving back to the community is what I truly want to do," he said. "That's my purpose."

Silva, now 49, was handed a sentence of four years and three months based on a joint recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers, after he pleaded guilty to possessing the proceeds of crime over $5,000 in September.

He arrived at court Wednesday with a small group of supporters, who remained in the courtroom gallery as Silva was escorted away by sheriffs and taken into custody following his sentencing.

The update comes more than two years after allegations he was a high-ranking member of a drug trafficking network came to light, when Manitoba's director of criminal property forfeiture filed a court document seeking to seize money from Silva and Hudson Bagels, the Sherbrook Street business he owned with his wife, alleging the funds came from illegal activity.

Federal prosecutor Kirsty Elgert told court on Wednesday the Crown's position is that Silva "was a participant in a high-level drug trafficking organization here in Manitoba."

"The evidence obtained by police from his residence, and also through the use of surveillance, shows that he was an important part of this operation and handled significant amounts of cash," Elgert said.

Silva's lawyer, Eric Wach, described his client as a hard worker with "a very entrepreneurial spirit" who previously completed a business administration diploma and grew a mall kiosk into a successful store.

Wach said Silva realizes now that his involvement with the drug operation was "a huge mistake."

"With respect to this behaviour, this conduct, the crimes that Mr. Silva's been involved in, he's extremely remorseful for his involvement in the drug trade," Wach said. "He realizes that this wasn't just one bad choice — this was a series of bad choices, the wrong priorities, the wrong outlook."

Court previously heard Silva, who was charged in December 2022, first came on police radar when a vehicle he owned was seen in July 2022 meeting with one of two men believed to be running a drug network police were investigating. 

In the following months, Silva was on one occasion seen meeting with the same man, Biniam Fitur, in a Southdale mall parking lot and receiving a gift bag with roughly $40,000 in it.

Court records show Fitur was sentenced to eight years in prison in April after pleading guilty to trafficking a controlled substance.