BY KEITH LACEY
A Greater Sudbury man who made a big splash into the world of crime by being caught with more than $40,000 worth of cocaine was given a two-year penitentiary term last week.
Richard Pellatt, 28, who had no previous criminal record, was raided by a Greater Sudbury Police drug unit on June 7, 2002. Inside, police found a huge stash of cocaine with a street value of over $40,000. The cocaine had been divided and split into separate baggies that are then sold on the street.
Also seized was $1,300 in cash and a large assortment of drug paraphenalia.
Pellatt pleaded guilty in October to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and was sentenced by Justice John Poupore of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Defence counsel Robert Beckett said it's obvious from all the facts that Pellatt ?was holding the drugs for those higher up? in the drug trafficking game, however, he realizes what he did was serious and there will be a serious price to pay for his indiscretions.
Pellatt has been out on bail for more than two years and has not got into any further trouble and has no intentions of returning to the drug trafficking industry once he serves his sentence, said Beckett.
Sending someone with no previous criminal record to the penitentiary ?is not an insignificant penalty,? but the courts have clearly shown a penitentiary term is the starting point for anyone caught in possession of a large amount of a hard drug, said Beckett.
Federal Crown prosecutor Nathalie Boivin agreed saying anyone caught trafficking cocaine in this amount should expect to be sent to the penitentiary as a starting point.
Boivin also asked Pellatt be prohibited from owning or possessing weapons for 10 years and that all drugs, money and paraphernalia seized at the scene be forfeited to the Crown's office.
Poupore agreed with the joint submission and sentenced Pellatt to two years in a federal penitentiary.
Pellatt kissed his girlfriend goodbye before being handcuffed and lead out of the courtroom by court security.
