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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A man who accepted delivery of a Costa Rican package containing a large amount of cocaine has been sentenced to two years less a day in jail.

Vincent Gosselin, 23, was convicted of trafficking cocaine in January after he accepted a package that originated from the city of San Juan.

Police found 145.6 grams of cocaine "packed into the bottom of two round pillar candles," said Crown prosecutor Janice Walsh.

She said Gosselin said he believed he was receiving a T-shirt in the mail instead of illegal drugs.

"This was not an insignificant amount of cocaine that was brought into Yellowknife," said Walsh. "Without a person at the end of the line to receive this package, that cocaine would not have made it into Yellowknife."

Walsh requested a sentence of two to three years, plus a DNA order and a firearms ban.

"A penitentiary sentence is necessary," she said.

Defence attorney Dan Rideout asked for 18 months to two years less a day in jail. He said Gosselin does not have a criminal record and there is no evidence he had anything to do with packing the cocaine into the shipment.

"I apologize for my offence," said Gosselin, addressing the court. "I plan on bettering myself."

On March 2, Supreme Court Justice Louise Charbonneau said she needed more time to make a decision. She reconvened court last Friday morning to impose the sentence.

"Cocaine trafficking has had and continues to have a devastating impact on our community," she said.

"You don't have to be selling to be part of the problem. You don't have to be making money."

Gosselin was given two months' credit for the 40 days he spent in jail waiting for trial. He was also sentenced to three years' probation, 240 hours of community service and a 10-year firearms prohibition.

A charge of trafficking marijuana is still pending against Gosselin, stemming from an incident in 2006 in Nelson, B.C.