Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 19, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A woman who pleaded guilty to possessing more than five grams of crack cocaine was sentenced on Thursday to two months in jail.

Valerie Theriault, 31, also entered guilty pleas to two charges of failure to appear in court for which she was given one month in jail each. Having been in the Fort Smith Women's Correctional Centre since her arrest on July 25, she would have been able to walk away after having served enough time in jail if she weren't facing other charges.

Crown prosecutor Mike Himmelman told the court the RCMP conducted checks at a downtown hotel where Theriault was staying and "began a covert surveillance." Having obtained a warrant, police searched Theriault's room at the hotel on July 25. She was arrested when she was found to be in possession of 5.3 grams of crack cocaine. Himmelman said the street value of the drugs in Yellowknife was roughly $500 to $600. She was also found to have $600 in cash on her at the time.

Other items Himmelman described as "drug paraphernalia" were seized from the room including a crack pipe, numerous cell phones, a marijuana grinder as well as a pair of white Nike pants that contained $1,960.

"The Crown is not sure who owned the pants," said Himmelman.

He said crack cocaine has been described by the courts as "a scourge on Northern society and Northern communities."

"If you don't have buyers, you don't have sellers," he said.

"I got caught up in the whole lifestyle," a tearful Theriault told the court. "I let drugs control my life."

Judge J.J. Desjardins handed down a sentence of four months total for the possession conviction and the two convictions for failing to appear in court on July 2 and Aug. 9. Two charges of theft were stayed by the Crown.

"Drugs become first and then family and everybody else becomes second. Then you end up in jail. Need I say more? No," said Desjardins.

This is the first drug offence for which Theriault has been convicted. She is also facing a number of charges from June 5 including one charge of trafficking, three charges of possession, unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of property obtained by crime.

Those charges are scheduled to be arise in court on Jan. 6.