A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
Andrew Norn pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced by Judge Robert Gorin in NWT Territorial Court last week, as first reported by CBC.
With 507 days’ credit for time served in pre-sentencing custody, Norn had 223 days left to serve on the day he was sentenced.
Once released from jail, Norn will be on probation for 18 months and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years.
The crown withdrew additional charges against Norn related to possessing a restricted firearm and overcapacity magazine without a licence, failing to comply with a release order to not possess firearms and ammunition, and obstructing a police officer.
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Arrest during traffic stop
Norn and Marilyn Beaulieu were arrested and charged during a traffic stop in January 2024 while travelling to Behchokǫ̀ from Yellowknife.
According to an agreed statement of facts filed in Norn’s case, RCMP stopped the Ford Mustang, which Norn was driving with Beaulieu in the passenger seat, as the vehicle’s licence plate was obstructed by snow.
Police said while interacting with Norn and Beaulieu during the traffic stop, an officer “formed grounds to believe” they were possessing illicit drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
The officer asked Norn to exit the vehicle multiple times to arrest him but Norn refused and continued to grip the steering wheel. The officer then broke the driver’s-side window and removed Norn from the car with the help of other officers.
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Police searched the vehicle and located 739 grams of suspected crack cocaine, which was later confirmed to be cocaine mixed with phenacetin, a drug commonly used to dilute or cut cocaine. The agreed statement of facts states the drugs were found in a plastic bag in a purse that also contained traffic tickets and identification in Beaulieu’s name.
According to the statement, if the cocaine was sold at the common price per gram at the street level, its approximate value would be $74,000 to $88,800.
Restricted firearm and overcapacity magazine
In the backseat of the vehicle under clothing, police further found an unloaded, fully functional Glock 19 Gen 4 semi-automatic pistol with 9mm Luger calibre, which is a restricted firearm. Officers also located a partially loaded extended magazine, which is a prohibited device.
Neither Norn nor Beaulieu were licensed to possess the pistol nor the overcapacity magazine.
According to the agreed statement of facts, Norn permitted Beaulieu to bring cocaine into the vehicle and knew he was helping her to transport it to another community. Norn said he was not aware the firearm and magazine were in the vehicle and he had no control over them.
Beaulieu has pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and not guilty to six additional charges related to the firearm and magazine.
She is set face trial on those charges on March 25.
