Tamara Smith, 26, was sentenced Thursday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Prince Albert drug trafficker receives four-year jail sentence

Jan 28, 2021 | 1:44 PM

A drug bust that netted over 400 grams of meth and cocaine, was described in court Thursday as putting a stop to a mid-level trafficking operation in Prince Albert.

Tamara Smith, 25, received a four-year jail sentence in Prince Albert Provincial Court today. At a separate hearing on Dec. 11, she entered guilty pleas to a number of charges including drug trafficking, as well as possession of a weapon, and possession of counterfeit money.

The case dates back to Wednesday, Aug. 26, when members of the Prince Albert Police Service’s Integrated Crime Reduction Team (ICRT) conducted a traffic stop in the 1400 Block of 28th St. E. The officers located 38.5 grams of methamphetamine (in 27 baggies), an imitation handgun, cellphones and $550 in cash.

A photo of the items seized by police. (Prince Albert Police Service)

Acting on a search warrant, ICRT members then searched a nearby apartment, locating over 360 grams of methamphetamine, more than 14 grams of crack cocaine, and drug packaging materials. More than $1,700 in cash was located, along with counterfeit currency and cheques.

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Federal Crown prosecutor Dan Heffernan explained in court the street value of the meth was estimated to be over $20,000.

“This is for the Prince Albert area, a very large quantity of methamphetamine,” he said, “That amount of drugs are indicative in the Crown’s view of something more than a street level trafficking situation.”

Describing her client as an articulate and intelligent young woman, Defence lawyer Lorretta Markowski said Smith was aware of her addictions issues and is seeking help. Markowski also noted Smith received her first alcoholic drink at the age of 13 from her mother, and later in her teen years experimented with meth, cocaine and mushrooms.

“Her involvement with addictions and drugs from a very early age, which has continued on, doesn’t cause this offence to happen but it certainly puts her in a situation of using where maybe this type of offence, I find, is more likely to occur,” Judge Earl Kalenith said.

In addition to the four-year jail sentence, Smith is also prohibited from owning or possessing a weapon for 10 years, and has been given 234 days credit for time spent in remand.

Smith’s father was present for the sentence hearing Thursday, and Markowski acknowledged he attended every one of his daughter’s hearings.

The co-accused Dylan Tyacke, has not yet entered a plea, and has a court date Feb. 16.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell