'Lives are ruined': Yellowknife judge sentences drug dealer to 4 years in prison

A Yellowknife judge has sentenced a drug dealer to four years in prison after rebuking the offender for preying on people's weaknesses.

In October 2013, police executed a warrant at Steven Ormrod's home as part of their raids against the 856 gang. Inside they found more than 650 grams of marijuana, almost 350 grams of cocaine, several firearms and more than $10,000 cash.

• Raids targeted B.C. gang selling drugs in Yellowknife

• Suspected 856 gang members arrested in Yellowknife drug raids

Ormrod pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and cocaine for the purposes of trafficking last month in N.W.T. Supreme Court.

In her sentencing decision, Justice Louise Charbonneau said Ormrod was running a wholesale operation meaning he was selling drugs to dealers.

"Those are substantial quantities of drugs in terms of what we ordinarily see in cases of this sort in this jurisdiction," she said.

Ormrod is originally from British Columbia. Charbonneau said thatlike many other young men from the South, he came to Yellowknife with no ties and got involved in the drug trade.

Charbonneau called drug dealers "predators" who exploit people's weaknesses.

"People get addicted to hard drugs and the consequences that follow can be devastating to them and their families. That story has been repeated time and again in this community.

"Lives are ruined; children are neglected; people have been robbed and attacked in broad daylight by desperate people trying to get money to buy more drugs," she said.

"In short, people make money over other people's misery."

N.W.T. courts hard on drug traffickers

Ormrod told the court he hopes to get an education in the trades when he gets out.

Charbonneau said only time will tell if he chooses to change the path he's on.

With credit for time served, Ormrod will spend another 26 months in prison. He's also subjected to a firearms ban for a period of 10 years.

Charbonneau noted that N.W.T. courts have never been lenient on drug trafficking offences.

"This sometimes comes as a surprise to those who come here to traffic drugs," she said.

"The word does notseem to get around as much as one might hope, but, hopefully, it eventually will."