How much credit should be given for time served prior to sentencing was a main issue during a sentencing hearing Thursday for a man who pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in cocaine.
Defence counsel had argued for 69 days but Prince George provincial court judge Michael Brecknell settled on two days for Thunder Muskwa Parenteau, 25.
Parenteau was arrested in early September 2014 after he he sold cocaine to an undercover officer three times over the span of a week.
The quantity added up to 1.33 grams and the value $170. Parenteau was one of several "low to middle level drug dealers" RCMP had been targeting.
Parenteau was subsequently released on bail but by March 2015 was back in custody on charges of escaping from unlawful custody, resisting or obstructing peace officers and several breaches of probation.
Parenteau was in custody for 45 days while he waited for the matter to go to trial. But on the day of the trial, Crown entered a stay of proceedings and Parenteau was released. Based on credit of 1 1/2 days for each day served, he was entitled to credit for 69 days in defence counsel's view.
But Brecknell disagreed, noting that Crown made "absolutely no reference" to the drug trafficking charges in arguing for his detention following his arrest in March. In other words, Parenteau's time in custody was for reasons that had no link to the matter at hand on Thursday.
Brecknell did give Parenteau a break on his jail term, sentencing him to a further four months behind bars while Crown had pressed for six months.
Defence counsel argued for three months followed by a term of probation with counselling and drug treatment at a full-time attendance program.
In part, Crown's position was based on the fact Parenteau has 14 previous criminal convictions although also conceding none were drug-related and he pleaded guilty to the charge in question.
Brecknell found that while a lengthy jail term is necessary given his criminal history, six months was excessive given the amount of drugs in question and his entrenched addiction at the time.
Brecknell also found a moderate sentence would have a rehabilitative effect because it would give Parenteau a period of abstinence from drugs, "thereby enhancing his possible success at a full-time attendance program upon release."
Parenteau must also serve 18 months probation once he's completed the jail term.
He was also issued a 10-year firearms prohibition and a life-time prohibition for any prohibited firearm or weapon and ordered to complete 50 hours of community work.
And he was assessed a $200 victim surcharge for the conviction and a further $100 victim surcharge for breach of an undertaking or recognizance.
