A Yellowknife woman convicted of trafficking cocaine has been sentenced to 12-months behind bars.

Caitlin Stewart, 27, pleaded guilty to trafficking the illegal drug between March 2017 and April 2018.

Stewart received the one-year sentence in NWT territorial court on Dec. 20.

With credit for time already served in remand custody - 174 days - Stewart has around eight months left to serve on her sentence.

Stewart will be on probation for six months following her release. She was ordered to submit a sample of her DNA and is banned from possessing weapons for 10 years.

Stewart faces unrelated drug trafficking charges stemming from her November arrest, when she along with 14 others were nabbed as part of Project Gloomiest - a federal investigation into drug trafficking in Yellowknife.

The new charges against her SA国际影视传媒� three counts of trafficking cocaine SA国际影视传媒� haven't yet been tested in court.

Trial for alleged fentanyl dealer pushed back

A trial for an alleged Yellowknife fentanyl dealer wonSA国际影视传媒檛 go ahead as planned after the accused and his lawyer parted ways late last week.

Darcy Oake, 24, was set to face a judge alone in Supreme Court for a week-long trial beginning Tuesday but his lawyer, Charles Davison, filed an application on Jan. 3, to be removed as counsel for the accused.

Davison cited a SA国际影视传媒渂reakdown in communicationSA国际影视传媒� between him and his client as grounds for the application.

The application to remove Davison as OakeSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer was approved by Justice Shannon Smallwood on the same day.

Oake was arrested and charged in November 2016 after Yellowknife Mounties executed a search warrant at the accusedSA国际影视传媒檚 Borden Drive residence. seized a drug, which, as stated in a news release issued by Mounties the next month, was identified as Furanylfentanyl, a less potent form of fentanyl.

Oake faces charges of unlawfully importing a Schedule 1 substance, trafficking a Schedule 1 substance and possessing for the purpose of trafficking a Schedule 1 substance. Oake is also charged with causing bodily harm by criminal negligence in allegedly providing the drug.

OakeSA国际影视传媒檚 then-lawyer Davison attempted to have his client released on bail over the holidays late last month but the application was denied.

Oake now has until Jan. 14 SA国际影视传媒� his next court date SA国际影视传媒� to secure a lawyer through legal aid.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 unclear when the trial will now begin following last weekSA国际影视传媒檚 adjournment.

Fines frustrate commercial fisherman

If a well-known Yellowknife-based commercial fisherman doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 pay years-old fines under the Fisheries Act, he risks going to jail, which, the 62-year-old says, would have a SA国际影视传媒渄evastatingSA国际影视传媒� impact on the local economy.

SA国际影视传媒淚t wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be good result for anyone in this community,SA国际影视传媒� said Brian Abbott, who operates Great Slave Lake Fish Products Ltd. year-round at a fish plant near Jolliffe Island. His business supplies fish to local restaurants, hotels and the Co-Op.

Abbott was called to appear in NWT territorial court on Tuesday to answer to unpaid fines dating back to 2012. He was ordered to pay $6,000 in fines.

Representing himself, a frustrated Abbott said he shouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 have been charged in the first place. He told the court he believes the Act clearly states he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 break any fishing laws.

The Crown reminded the court that Abbott has already appealed his conviction. A judge reduced the $6,000 penalty to $3,000, an amount Abbott hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 yet paid. His conviction was upheld.

Prosecutors stated itSA国际影视传媒檚 not a case where Abbott canSA国际影视传媒檛 pay the fines, but, rather, that he wonSA国际影视传媒檛.

Abbott told the court he believes paying the fines would be an admission of guilt, and he adamantly maintains no wrongdoing was committed on his part.

SA国际影视传媒淭his was absolutely unfair,SA国际影视传媒� Abbott said.

Abbott is set to go to trial Jan. 17 on unrelated fishing charges.

Judge Walker, empathizing with AbbottSA国际影视传媒檚 frustrations, adjourned the fine default matter to early April, giving Abbott time to retain a lawyer if he chooses to do so.