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Crack addict had $3,000-a-week habit

Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 19/06) - A crack addict who told court he had a $3,000-a-week habit was convicted Tuesday of drug possession and sentenced to three months behind bars.

John-Joe Whalen, a carpenter who at times worked between 60 and 80 hours per week, testified he had spent more than $200,000 since 2004 feeding his crack addiction.

While Whalen was convicted on the possession charge, a Supreme Court justice acquitted him on a more serious allegation of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Police arrested Whalen outside Tim Hortons on Old Airport Road July 12, 2005. They found 6.5 grams of crack cocaine in his car packaged into 13 separate packages called "corners," said Crown attorney Shelly Tkatch.

Traffickers will cut the tips off plastic, ziploc bags and stuff the drugs into the corners for easy distribution.

Officers also found a crack pipe and $300 in cash.

But Whalen's lawyer argued his client had a serious addiction to crack cocaine that saw him smoke about 10 grams per day - a tally that cost about $500. His intention, said attorney James Brydon, was not to resell the drugs but smoke them during a trip down the Ingraham Trail.

Tkatch argued Whalen was trafficking to support his habit.

Justice John Vertes said ultimately there was not enough evidence to prove Whalen intended to sell the crack, though he has serious doubts about his story.

"I want to say emphatically I do not believe the accused," said Vertes following the two-day trial.

"But that is not the end of it. The burden of proof is on the Crown."

Brydon suggested to witness Cpl. Larry O'Brien, head of the Yellowknife RCMP anti-drug unit, that Whalen was just "stocking up."

"I don't see a need to stock up," O'Brien answered during the cross-examination.

"Cocaine is readily available in this town."