Man sentenced to six years for possessing fentanyl, cocaine

Chief Judge Jeannie Scott sentenced Comfort in Territorial Court in Yellowknife on Thursday afternoon. He has 405 days’ credit for time he spent at the North Slave Correctional Complex prior to sentencing.

Once released from prison, Comfort will be prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years.

RCMP arrested and charged Comfort and Kyle Haman in March 2025 after receiving reports of “a luxury vehicle” and two suspicious men on the winter road between Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope.

According to an agreed statement of facts filed with the court, Comfort was driving the black Range Rover, which had a flat tire, and Haman was in the passenger’s seat.

Police searched the vehicle and found three backpacks in the backseat containing drug paraphernalia.

The agreed facts state officers also found a Louis Vuitton bag under the passenger’s seat containing 247 grams of MDMA, 59.72 grams of cocaine, 13.47 grams of powdered cocaine and a 13.47-gram mixture of fentanyl, heroin, benzodiazepines and caffeine.

After towing the Range Rover to the RCMP detachment and searching it further, police located a prohibited revolver in the engine compartment and several cell phones. Analysis of one of the phones, which belonged to Comfort, found a photo of the revolver and text messages establishing that Comfort was trafficking drugs and had come to the NWT to do so.

Comfort admitted to possessing the gun, MDMA, cocaine and fentanyl mixture.

At the time, Comfort was on a conditional sentence order related to a conviction in Alberta of possessing methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking. He was also under a firearms prohibition order.

Haman has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. His trial is expected to resume in May.

Time in jail ‘brought home’ seriousness of offences

Crown prosecutor Brendan Green and defence lawyer Kevin MacGillivray had jointly recommended the six-year sentence for Comfort.

MacGillivray told the court the time his client spent at the jail in Yellowknife has “brought home to him” the damage that drugs and alcohol can cause in northern Indigenous communities.

MacGillivray said Comfort has long struggled with drug addiction and realizes things need to change.

“He’s sort-of at the end of the road now and he understands that,” he said.

Comfort told Judge Scott that, at the time of his arrest, he had little awareness of where he was travelling, including the size and culture of communities in the Sahtu. He said he now better understands the impact of his actions and wants to improve himself while serving his sentence, including addressing his addiction issues.

“I’m super remorseful and I do actually feel bad,” he said.

“I feel sorry for the Sahtu region people.”

Judge encourages sobriety journey

Judge Scott accepted the joint submission on sentencing, saying it was reasonable, and took a variety of factors into consideration including Comfort’s criminal record and personal circumstances.

She said drug trafficking is serious, police had seized a large quantity of substances in this case, and fentanyl in particular is highly addictive. She added that Comfort travelled to small Indigenous communities in the NWT that have been impacted by drug use for the sole purpose of trafficking drugs, suggesting predatory behaviour.

Scott said she accepted that Comfort now appreciates the seriousness of his actions.

The judge also noted that Comfort had “a challenging upbringing” and has struggled with addiction for many years.

According to a pre-sentence report, Comfort lost his mother at a young age under tragic circumstances, was abused and neglected as a child, dropped out of school in Grade 9 and has experienced homelessness.

“I hope that you continue with your sobriety while in custody,” Scott told Comfort, saying she expects that will be a lifetime journey.

“I wish you all the best.”