Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 15/05) - A territorial court judge sentenced a pair of crack-cocaine addicts to jail last week, saying the drug is having a devastating effect on Yellowknife.

"The problems arising from the use of crack-cocaine cannot be understated," said Judge Bernadette Schmaltz.

"It is an incredibly addictive drug. It destroys lives and it destroys families."

The number of crack-cocaine arrests in Yellowknife jumped from 11 in 2000 to 44 in 2003. Crack addicts have been linked to dozens of break and enters and last year police broke up a crime ring linked to the crack trade that dealt in stolen merchandise.

Last week in territorial court, a pair of addicts pleaded guilty to possession of crack-cocaine in two unrelated cases.

Jonathan Wilson, 26, admitted to carrying 2.7 grams of the drug after police found him sitting in a car that was stuck in a ditch near Kam Lake. The drugs, which have a street value of about $480, were resting in a baggy on his lap.

Wilson is a professional welder with one previous entry on his criminal record for impaired driving, said his lawyer, James Mahon. His addiction led him to associate with people "he ought not to have."

Mahon told Schmaltz Wilson was a victim of his addiction to crack, a suggestion the judge dismissed.

"People choose to get involved in illicit drugs," she said in sentencing Wilson to 30 days behind bars. "The consequences will be severe."

Outside of the courtroom, Mahon said the highly addictive drug allows dealers to prey on the weakness of addicts.

"Who are the victims of crack-cocaine if not the young people in Yellowknife and other communities in the North?" Mahon asked.

"Their lives have been destroyed."

Another addict pleaded guilty to possession of crack-cocaine and a series of other crimes - including the theft of two DVD players worth nearly $1,200.

Diamond driller Jason Bertram, 31, was arrested by police March 25 with two crack pipes and a half-gram of the drug.

The street value of the crack-cocaine was about $50. Bertram also admitted to stealing $51 worth of meat from the downtown Extra Foods and two drop-down DVD screens from Canadian Tire. He later missed a court appearance and a date with police to have his fingerprints taken.

His lawyer, James Brydon, said Bertram "fell into crack and went into a downward spiral. (He was) precluded from making rational decisions."

Bertram was a skilled diamond driller who lost custody of his child because of his addiction to crack-cocaine, Brydon said. Schmaltz sentenced him to 60 days behind bars, including 30 for the possession charge, and said her decision must reflect society's condemnation of the crack-cocaine trade and deter others from using illicit drugs.

Crack is usually made by dissolving cocaine into a mixture of ammonia or baking soda. The mixture is boiled until a solid substance - or rock - is formed.

It is widely believed to be cheaper than pure cocaine, though some experts have argued the price per gram is actually higher; crack is simply sold in smaller quantities creating and illusion that it is less expensive.