Crown seeking 12-year sentence on drug and gun convictions

Crown counsel is seeking a 12-year prison sentence for a man convicted of a half-dozen drug and firearms charges.

Ricky Alan Frederickson, 43, was described during a sentencing hearing Monday at the Prince George courthouseas a mid-level drug dealer who had been the subject of an RCMP surveillance operation.

He was arrested on June 1, 2017 after he was seen driving around the city and making short stops at the homes of what police alleged were known drug dealers in the city. In his vehicle, RCMP found a satchel containing quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin mixed with fentanyl, along with his wallet and identification and nearly $10,900 in cash.

They also found a lease agreement with Frederickson's name on it for an 800-block Johnson Street home. A subsequent search of the home as well as one in the 400-block of Gillette Street where Frederickson had also been living uncovered more drugs.

In all, he was found to be in possession of 252 grams of methamphetamine, 254 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of heroin-fentanyl with a value ranging from $25,151 to $51,698

RCMP also seized a rifle, pistol and two shotguns, one of which was sawed off and its serial number removed. Ammunition was also found nearby.

In arguing for 12 years, Crown counsel Angela Murray emphasized Frederickson's extensive criminal record of 59 convictions over the span of some 20 years. Breaks in his offending occurred only when he was in custody, she noted.

"Mr. Frederickson's record shows a lifetime of offending that is essentially only prevented by his incarceration," Murray said.

She also said Frederickson continues to deny responsibility for the drugs and guns found in the homes and stressed the dangers of mixing fentanyl into heroin.

On the drug counts, Murray proposed a term of six years on the lead count of possessing the heroin-fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking and a consecutive term of five years for the sawed off shotgun plus a further year for the altered serial number.

Defence counsel Jason LeBlond outlined a case for a considerably shorter term of concurrent three-and-a-half year terms on the lead drug and firearms offences.

LeBlond acknowledged Frederickson's lengthy criminal record, but also noted that just two of the convictions were for trafficking. Both were committed in Alberta and drew respective terms of a one-year conditional sentence order and 18 months in jail but no probation.

He also disputed Murray's contention that Frederickson was a mid-level dealer, saying there was no evidence Frederickson was visiting the homes to load up lower-level dealers. Despite the quantities found, Frederickson was a street-level dealer, LeBlond argued.

On Frederickson's past convictions for weapons offences, none involved firearms, LeBlond noted.

He also noted that less credit for time served prior to sentencing, his client would serve the rest of the term in a provincial facility, leaving the judge open to also sentencing him to a further two to three years probation during which he could be required to go into a residential treatment program and continue to take counselling for addictions afterwards.

Judge Cassandra Malfair reserved decision to a later date.