A convicted drug trafficker and sex offender facing deportation has won more time to appeal his guilty pleas after arguing that his lawyer downplayed the immigration consequences of his crimes.
Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Kevin Feth gave Mahir Yahya Sharif more time to appeal his 2022 convictions, citing the mentally ill refugee’s potential danger if deported, according to the National Post.
Sharif pleaded guilty to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to undercover officers, sexual assault, taxi fraud, theft under $5,000 and mischief. He served three years in prison.
The sexual assault involved Sharif digitally penetrating another patient for approximately 10 minutes while both were receiving psychiatric treatment, according to the ruling.
Sharif entered Canada through the refugee resettlement program in 2019 and was a permanent resident when convicted.
