Joel Stevenson was found guilty of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
The Crown sought a seven-year imprisonment sentence, while the defence proposed a conditional sentence or, alternatively, four years with substantial credit for pre-sentence bail conditions, emphasizing the offender's Aboriginal heritage and the application of Gladue principles.
The court rejected a conditional sentence due to the seriousness of the offence, finding that deterrence and denunciation were paramount.
After considering the unique systemic and background factors affecting the offender, including intergenerational trauma from residential schools and personal history of abuse and incarceration, and balancing these with the seriousness of the offence and the principle of parity with a co-accused, the court imposed a sentence of five years imprisonment.
An eight-month credit was awarded for harsh pre-sentence release conditions, resulting in a net sentence of four years and four months.