'Dial-a-dope' scheme gets jail time for student
RCMP discovered drug activity by intercepting communications
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A 23-year-old man who sold crack cocaine through what the court calls a "dial-a-dope" phone operation has been sentenced to two and a half years behind bars.
RCMP discovered Mahalingham's drug activity during a year-long investigation called Project Green Manalishi. |
Ajanthan Mahalingham was ordered to spend 30 months in jail, minus nine months credit for time he has already served awaiting sentencing.
That leaves a remaining 21 months in jail, Judge Christine Gagnon told the man on Friday in territorial court.
RCMP discovered Mahalingham's drug activity during a year-long investigation called Project Green Manalishi, which targeted a drug network operating in the city. Gagnon said RCMP intercepted communications that revealed Mahalingham was working 12-hour shifts with a group of other people to sell crack cocaine through the "dial-a-dope" phone operation. He was working under the direction of four people to sell approximately two ounces of the drug per week, Gagnon said.
She estimated his weekly profits could have been as high as about $4,000.
Mahalingham has one prior conviction for drug possession. A pre-sentence report stated Mahalingham was originally from Toronto and came to Yellowknife to earn money for post-secondary education.
He said he got in with a bad crowd, using cocaine and Percocet daily.
Although Mahalingham's guilty plea to the recent charge was a mitigating factor in his sentencing, Gagnon said, she considered him a street-level trafficker selling drugs for commercial gain.
She reminded the court some of the suppliers already convicted through Project Green Manalishi have faced serious sentences between four and five years long.
Mahalingham's defence lawyer, Niko Homberg, suggested the judge impose a sentence of 18 to 22 months, while Crown prosecutor Duane Praught suggested 30 to 36 months would be fitting.
In addition to the 21 months he has left to serve, Mahalingham is required to pay a $200 victim-of-crime surcharge, provide a sample of his DNA and faces a firearms prohibition.
