SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Hay River teenage drug dealer caught by RCMP officers with $650 worth of crack cocaine and marijuana behind the town's arena was sentenced to four and a half months in jail Feb. 25.

The teen was convicted in territorial court for drug trafficking and providing a false name to the RCMP.

"The accused is a parasite," said Crown prosecutor Marc Lecorre, who requested a 12-month jail sentence, a DNA order and a 10-year firearms ban for Jayson Richard Desjarlais, the accused.

Judge Christine Gagnon sentenced Desjarlais, 19, to a total of eight months in jail, but gave him credit for time already served while in pre-trial custody since his Nov. 12, 2010 arrest. She said Desjarlais, who got caught up in the "lure of easy money," was an "easy prey" and a "good target" for the drug trade in Hay River.

Lecorre told the court that on Nov. 12, the Hay River RCMP received a tip from an informant of a "new guy in town" selling crack cocaine. As part of their investigation, the police set up a drug deal for 6 p.m. behind the town's arena for three pieces of crack cocaine worth $360 after obtaining Desjarlais' name and cell phone number. About five minutes before the deal was to take place, RCMP officers drove around the back of the arena in an unmarked patrol car and arrested Desjarlais behind the building. During the arrest, he gave the officers a false name.

At the RCMP detachment, Desjarlais was searched and officers found four pieces of crack cocaine and 10.2 grams of marijuana wrapped in tin foil inside a baggie. The crack cocaine's street value in Hay River is $450, while the marijuana was worth $200. The officers also found a razor blade, $120 in cash and a cellphone, Lecorre said.

During his interview with police, Desjarlais' phone rang and a man on the other end asked to buy crack cocaine. When the officers asked Desjarlais if he was employed, he replied "no, this is how I make my living," referring to selling drugs, said Lecorre.

The Crown prosecutor said what made the offence worse was that Desjarlais was "exploiting the weaknesses of others" by selling drugs for his own personal and financial gain in the community. Moreover, the drug deal with the RCMP was set to take place behind a recreational facility that is frequented by youth and families.

Defence lawyer Tracy Bock requested an eight-month jail term minus credit for time served and probation for his client. He said his client had a "rocky" time as a youth and started drinking when he was 16. Bock added that Desjarlais grew up in Hay River but left in 2008 to live with family members. When he returned last year, he didn't have a lot of support in the community, and he started dealing drugs after he began hanging around with the "wrong crowd," according to Bock. He said his client wants to go back to school to become a cook.

Desjarlais said he was sorry for his actions and he now knows it was "wrong to sell drugs." Besides the jail term, Gagnon also sentenced Desjarlais to 12 months probation, a 10-year firearms ban and ordered him to provide a sample of his DNA to authorities. She also ordered the items seized in the drug bust be forfeited to police.

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