SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 27-year-old man who pleaded guilty to having close to 10 grams of crack cocaine and a scale with cocaine residue on it was given probation and fined $100 in territorial court on Oct. 26.

Judge Robert Gorin gave the man a suspended sentence and ordered him to perform 50 hours of community service. Gorin told him if he disobeys any of the court conditions, he could be re-sentenced for the offence.

"You could go to jail," he said.

The man, originally from Edmonton, was charged with possession for the purposes of trafficking, but on Oct. 19, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of possession.

Crown prosecutor Mattieu St. Germain told the court that police acted on a tip from three confidential informants that three occupants of a Yellowknife apartment were trafficking drugs. The Yellowknife RCMP started surveillance on the Forrest Drive apartment on Aug. 2, 2008 and later that day they searched the premises. In one of the rooms the RCMP found the offender's ID beside 9.7 grams of crack cocaine, $125 and a scale with cocaine residue on it.

In another room, occupied by another resident, the RCMP found 8.9 grams of cocaine and $1,970 in cash.

Defence lawyer Dan Rideout told the court his client's name wasn't on a lease for the apartment and he was only staying there briefly. Nevertheless, the offender admitted the crack cocaine was his, but said it was for personal use.

Gorin also sentenced the man on two unrelated matters. On Feb. 2, 2008, he was caught driving on Old Airport Road with an expired licence.

He was also sentenced for failing to appear in court March 27, 2008. For the expired licence, Gorin fined him $115 and $245 for the failure to appear in court.

A co-accused, a woman, who also pleaded guilty to drug possession, received an identical sentence on Jan. 15, 2009.

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