An Estevan man was sentenced to more than a year in jail following a Queen's Bench trial in the fall of 2012.
Kevin Dexter, 24, was found guilty by Queen's Bench Judge Ellen Gunn of three counts of trafficking cocaine, and a decision on sentencing was made on Jan. 15 in Estevan Queen's Bench court.
The charges stem from three incidents between Oct. 21 and Oct. 28, 2009.
As part of Project Flon, an operation conducted by the Estevan Police Service and the Regina Integrated Drug Unit, undercover police officers were in Estevan attempting to interrupt the flow of drugs in the community.
On Oct. 21, officers came into contact with Dexter in a bar. After a brief chat, one officer asked if Dexter knew where he could get some cocaine. Dexter sent a text to a woman and received a reply 30 seconds later saying they could get some.
The officer asked for three grams, and Dexter alerted him that cocaine is more expensive in Estevan than Regina, pricing three grams at $300.
They went to a residence in Estevan, and after the officer gave Dexter cash, he went into the house and came out with three one-gram bags of cocaine.
The officers told Dexter they would be in town working on a construction project for the next few weeks, and he offered to provide them more cocaine if they wanted it. They exchanged phone numbers and two days later, the officers called, arranging another purchase.
On Oct. 23, the officers purchased another three grams for $300 from Dexter.
Again on Oct. 28, the officers called, requesting five grams and Dexter told them to meet him in three minutes at a parking lot in the city. From there, they went to the same residence as before and exchanged five grams of cocaine for $500.
Dexter was arrested Dec. 3, 2009, along with 24 other Estevan residents as part of the project's sweep.
It was noted Dexter doesn't have a significant criminal record and has been dealing with drug issues since he was a teenager. Dexter has reportedly been clean and sober since his arrest. Gunn said he could be considered a "low-level dealer acting at the lowest end of the trafficking food chain" based on the facts of the case.
However, Gunn said Dexter was trafficking a hard drug on a number of occasions, making the offer after the first exchange to continue selling to the undercover officers.
"He was not only most co-operative in hooking them up with his dealer on their first meeting after the exchange of only a few pleasantries, but he offered to continue to assist them for the time they remained in Estevan," Gunn wrote in her decision.
The Crown prosecutor noted the range in jail time for these offences is between 18 months and four years, offering a suggestion of 24 to 26 months would be appropriate in Dexter's case.
The defence suggested jail wasn't necessary and that Dexter would serve his time in the community.
Gunn did note that Dexter maintained steady employment despite his drug habit, and has been clean for a few years. She said he has family responsibilities and has been bound by restrictive conditions since the end of 2009.
Gunn sentenced Dexter to 13 months in jail for each charge, and the sentences will be served concurrently.
Dexter will also be under a 10-year firearms prohibition.
