Yellowknife (Nov 24/04) - A drug dealer who ran an intricate sorting operation out of her apartment offering everything from crack cocaine to prescription pain killers, was sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison last week. Daisey Posegate pleaded guilty Thursday in Supreme Court to three counts of drug trafficking and one count each of forgery and fraud over $5,000.

"This is a very serious offence given the devastation cocaine has caused in this community," said Justice Ted Richard during sentencing on Friday.

Posegate was a bartender at the Right Spot Bar and Grill. She was arrested on her way to work Oct. 17, 2003, based on information obtained by police during Operation Hydra, a sweep of downtown.

During the arrest, police seized 161 grams of crack cocaine and several Percocet tablets.

The cocaine had an estimated street value of $19,000.

During a subsequent search of Posegate's apartment, police discovered marijuana, more crack cocaine, Percocet and another prescription drug, Oxycontin.

In total, officers seized 263 grams of crack cocaine, which had an estimated street value of $32,000.

The drugs would have had a "significant impact" on the city had they reached the streets, said RCMP Staff Sgt. Steve McVarnock.

Officers also seized a host of drug paraphernalia, from spoons and plastic baggies to a digital scale and a detailed log of drug debts.

McVarnock said the bust led to a temporary lull in the city's drug trade as dealers scaled back operations.

Investigators were unable to tie Posegate to upper-level dealers and she was the only person arrested in connection with the trafficking operation, McVarnock said.

During Friday's court session, she was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in prison on the drug charges. She was also given one year for forging checks and fraud.

Posegate committed the offences to support her own crack cocaine addiction, her lawyer told the court, Thursday.