Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 20, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A 14-year-old youth who has repeatedly come under the arm of the law recently marked his graduation - from the Youth Criminal Justice Act to the adult Criminal Code.

The unidentified youth is facing charges of assault against an 11-year-old male victim on June 11.

Teachers at a Yellowknife school witnessed the victim being punched on the school grounds, said RCMP spokeswoman Roxanne Dreilich. No serious injuries were reported.

"The suspect apparently is the brother of a subject that the victim had had dealings with."

The decision to upgrade the suspect from youth charges to adult criminal charges was made "because it was felt like it was time," said Dreilich.

Dreilich added that the Youth Criminal Justice Act includes provisions for gradually moving repeat youth offenders up the criminal chain to adult charges.

Crack-ing down

A 41-year-old male was arrested after crack cocaine was found in his possession "in plain sight," said Dreilich.

The man was sitting in his parked vehicle on 51st Street when a witness from a nearby building saw what looked like a drug transaction occur between the suspect and another individual, who left the scene.

The witness called RCMP, who searched the vehicle - easily finding the crack cocaine - and removed the suspect from the vehicle and arrested him.

Crack cocaine is typically found in "rock" portions that are heated, melted into smoke and eventually inhaled by users, whereas simple "cocaine" is typically seen in powdery form and snorted, said Dreilich.

Crime doesn't pay

Someone broke into two Franklin Avenue businesses in the early morning hours of June 13.

The businesses - whose names were kept confidential at the request of the owners - are side by side.

The amount of money stolen from each business - found in the pocket of the suspect - is unknown.

A 23-year-old suspect faces two charges of break and enter but was also slapped with one count of failing to comply with the sentence of a previous offence, which required that he "keep the peace and remain on good behaviour," said Dreilich.

Dreilich added that it is common practice for business owners to not disclose their store's name because they fear their business may become a target of future thefts.

A window into crime

A 44-year-old male is facing charges of assault, accused of trying to choke his 42-year-old female victim on June 12.

A witness watching from a window of a nearby building saw the altercation on the sidewalk in the 5000 block of 49th Street.

It is unclear whether the suspect is related to the victim, said Dreilich.