From a daughter of privilege to a crystal-meth con artist

Publication title: The Globe and Mail
Pages: A.1
Publication date: Mar 23, 2007
ProQuest document ID: 383868708
Author: Brethour, Patrick; Harding, Katherine


For months, the twentysomething woman, her big dog and her male companion were quiet fixtures on Rockend Place, a private preserve of luxury homes with million-dollar views of the Pacific Ocean.

Then the rumours started to fly about the couple. And the police came, arresting the man and woman in their vehicle as they drove through the ultra-affluent West Vancouver neighbourhood, and uncovering the tools of a sophisticated identity-theft racket after searching the $1.6-million home.

This week, Alberta Chief Justice Catherine Fraser and her husband told the public that it was their child, Andrea Claire Fraser, who had been arrested -- and that it was the scourge of crystal methamphetamine that had turned a daughter of privilege into a convicted felon hooked on street drugs. It is an addiction that has pushed the young woman directly into trouble with the law, her parents said.

"Our daughter is a good person whose conduct has unfortunately been driven by an addiction to crystal meth. We stand by her," Catherine and Richard Fraser said in a statement. "We will do everything we can to support her and the court order.

"Every family at one time or another faces a trauma. At this point, this is ours."

Crystal meth was at one time associated with runaways and prostitutes, but the street drug is quickly burrowing into Canadian homes, devastating families of all incomes and backgrounds, including the Frasers. "It is a deeply personal matter we are dealing with," Mr. Fraser said in a brief interview. The family said they need their privacy as Andrea fights her addiction.

That battle has already begun, with her release contingent on immediately beginning a court-ordered detox program. The day after leaving jail, she was brought to the Orchard Recovery and Treatment Centre, an exclusive clinic on Bowen Island, just a short ferry ride away from West Vancouver.

The Orchard, which takes only 25 clients at a time, resembles a lodge. Clients have access to a yoga meditation instructor, personal trainer and shiatsu and massage therapist. Doctors are on call 24 hours a day.

The exclusive addiction treatment centre's staff hold the core belief that "addiction is a spiritual malady." Family participation in a person's recovery is highly recommended, and relatives are allowed to make weekend visits to the secluded treatment centre, as well as attend educational programs and seminars.

According to the centre's website, a 28-day stay is $12,700, or $453 a day. As part of her conditional sentence, Ms. Fraser must spend at least six weeks at the Orchard; a 42-day stay costs $17,700.

West Vancouver police are used to crystal-meth addicts ransacking the mailboxes of the wealthy in search of a quick buck for a quick high. But Sergeant Paul Skelton said he cannot recall his force uncovering a sophisticated identity-theft scam as was discovered at 4288 Rockend Place, which the Fraser family bought for $1.4-million cash in June of 2005.

Four months later, police armed with a search warrant found 26.5 grams of crystal meth in the home, and arrested four people, including Andrea Fraser. No drug charges were laid because police could not establish who owned the crystal meth, Sgt. Skelton said.

Thirteen months after that, police were back at the home, uncovering the tools of an identity-theft ring, including computer equipment, stolen mail, fraudulent IDs and even a stolen sheriff's badge. There were no drugs recovered in the second search, Sgt. Skelton said.

Ms. Fraser's co-accused, Sean William Clarke, was freed on $50,000 bail, but did not show up for a court hearing; police have now issued an arrest warrant for him.

Sgt. Skelton said many people aren't even aware that they are taking crystal meth initially, mistaking its high for less ravenously addictive rave-type drugs. But addiction is nearly immediate, followed by erratic, irrational behaviour and a theft spree to grab enough cash to keep the crystal-meth high flowing.