Michael Trevor Samuels was convicted after trial of possession for the purpose of trafficking in cocaine and crystal methamphetamines, and failing to comply with a release order.
The Crown sought a 3 to 3.5 year penitentiary sentence, while the defence sought a time-served disposition, arguing for additional credit due to harsh pre-sentence custody conditions and systemic anti-Black racism.
The court found Samuels to be a commercial trafficker with an extensive criminal record for similar offences, not an addict-trafficker.
The court imposed a total sentence of two years in the penitentiary, followed by a three-year probation order, considering the gravity of the offences, the offender's moral blameworthiness, and the need for denunciation and deterrence, while also acknowledging the harsh pre-sentence custody conditions.
