An Edmonton man arrested in Fort Providence with over 130 grams of cocaine and a loaded AR-15 rifle has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Cassiuis Paradis, 30, was pulled over in October 2018 by a pair of Mounties SA国际影视传媒� tipped off by residents to suspected drug trafficking SA国际影视传媒� as he and a teenage passenger passed the South Slave hamletSA国际影视传媒檚 detachment in a rented Volkswagen.

Locked in a safe in the truck of the car, officers seized over four ounces of cocaine SA国际影视传媒� divvied up into hundreds of smaller bags along with two large bricks weighing over 28 grams a piece SA国际影视传媒� and nearly $4,000 in cash.

Mounties found the loaded high-powered carbine rifle, along with ammunition and a knife, inside a suitcase in the vehicleSA国际影视传媒檚 backseat.

At the time of his arrest, Paradis was less than two years into a 10-year weapons ban. In January 2017, police found a loaded handgun in ParadisSA国际影视传媒� car after pulling him over for speeding.

Paradis pleaded not guilty to a slew of offences, mounting a constitutional challenge following the seizure.

ParadisSA国际影视传媒� lawyer, Benjamin Lotery, argued his clientSA国际影视传媒檚 Charter rights were violated when he was pulled over by . Lotery wanted the evidence SA国际影视传媒�  the drugs, money and weapons SA国际影视传媒� tossed on the grounds it was gathered unlawfully.

In March, NWT Supreme Court Justice Shannon Smallwood ruled ParadisSA国际影视传媒� rights had been breached SA国际影视传媒� first when Mounties arbitrarily detained him, and again when the officers failed to advise him of the reason of his detention and his right to contact a lawyer. Paradis wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 advised of his right to call counsel until after he exited the vehicle,  several minutes after the traffic stop and detention started.

Despite her findings, Smallwood ruled the evidence admissible.

The trial then continued on the basis of agreed facts, and Paradis was convicted of a dozen offences, including drug trafficking and firearm related charges SA国际影视传媒� possessing a restricted firearm among a raft of others.

In a Yellowknife court on Friday, Smallwood SA国际影视传媒� who struck middle ground between the CrownSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渆xcessiveSA国际影视传媒� seven-year sentencing recommendation and LoterySA国际影视传媒檚 call for three years in custody, which she deemed not reflective of the gravity of the offence SA国际影视传媒� said the illicit combination of drugs and guns is a SA国际影视传媒渟erious concern in Canada.SA国际影视传媒�

The loaded AR-15 was found to be inoperable when seized by police. It was determined the firearm could fire after investigators removed a pin and reassembled the gun. There was no evidence to suggest Paradis knew how to make the firearm operable, Smallwood said Friday.

Smallwood said the Charter breaches, while not significant, were mitigating factor in her sentencing decision.  ParadisSA国际影视传媒� lawyer had argued the sentence should be reduced because of the violations.

Smallwood also weighed the circumstances of the Indigenous offender SA国际影视传媒� who is Metis SA国际影视传媒� in coming to sentencing decision. Paradis, she said, had a SA国际影视传媒渢roubled background.SA国际影视传媒� He was living on the streets as a young teen, and at the time of his arrest, was addicted to cocaine, Xanax and alcohol.

But Smallwood didnSA国际影视传媒檛 mince her words when admonishing the impact of drug trafficking in the territory SA国际影视传媒� and the role Paradis played in it.

For communities still grappling with the enduring effects of residential schools and the loss of culture, Smallwood said, now residents SA国际影视传媒渉ave to deal with the impact of cocaine.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淗ow can communities heal when people like Paradis prey like vultures (on the vulnerabilities of residents),?SA国际影视传媒� asked Smallwood.

With credit for time spent in remand custody SA国际影视传媒� Paradis has been behind bars since his arrest in October SA国际影视传媒� he has four years and one-and-a-half months left to serve.

Paradis was ordered to submit a sample of his DNA. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 now barred from possessing weapons for 12 years.

Paradis, who remained stone-faced as the sentence was handed down, declined to speak in court.