Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 14, 2008

HAY RIVER - A Hay River man has been sentenced to a year in jail for cocaine trafficking.

Richard Phillip Deleeuw, 20, sold a gram and a half of cocaine to undercover police officers on June 10 of last year.

Deleeuw pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to agreed facts in the case, the undercover officers visited a residence and made telephone calls seeking cocaine, and were directed by a woman to a house in Hay River.

There, Deleeuw sold a female undercover officer a gram of cocaine for $100.

Deleeuw later told police that the price was $20 less than normal because the officer was cute.

At the same time, a male undercover officer bought a half-gram of cocaine from Deleeuw for $60, which was $10 more than normal to partially make up for the discount to the female officer.

The court heard that Deleeuw made the sale on behalf of someone else and got to keep a half-gram and $20 or $30 for the transaction.

The defence denied Deleeuw was previously involved in the drug trade.

At the conclusion of the summation of evidence on Jan. 9, Deleeuw was asked if he had anything to say, and he apologized to the community for his "stupid actions."

In passing sentence on Jan. 10, Territorial Court Judge Bernadette Schmaltz provided a recap of sentences for cocaine trafficking convictions in the NWT.

Schmaltz said cocaine use is a scourge on NWT communities and people traffic for a multitude of reasons.

"It is hard to imagine what attracts young people to this lifestyle," she said, adding she suspects the high profits blind them to the consequences.

The judge also explained why she was rejecting the defence's suggestion that a conditional sentence, otherwise known ashouse arrest, be imposed.

She said NWT courts have long held that meaningful jail terms can be expected for cocaine trafficking.

"I cannot see any alternative than to impose a jail sentence in this case," she said.

Schmaltz called trafficking a "parasitic lifestyle" that preys on the community.

While she said Deleeuw may be a minor player in the drug trade, there was a need for general deterrence and denunciation of his actions.

Deleeuw, who is originally from Alberta but a resident of Hay River since mid-2004, will also be placed on probation for one year following his release.

When asked if he understood the conditions of the sentence, an obviously irate Deleeuw said he had been looking forward to going back to school.