A 26-year-old man was sentenced Monday to one year in jail on charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. 

Andrew Rheaume was charged in 2018, along with 15 others, as part of a year-long cocaine trafficking and money laundering investigation dubbed Project Gloomiest. 

The investigation was launched after police were alerted to SA国际影视传媒渟uspicious movements of money,SA国际影视传媒� from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 financial intelligence agency. 

When the Mounties searched the Yellowknife residence on Finlayson drive, they recovered a total of 1,425 grams of cocaine.

In RheaumeSA国际影视传媒檚 room, found 11.4 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, plastic bags, and three cellphones that contained evidence of drug trafficking, Crown Prosecutor Duane Praught told the NWT Supreme Court. 

The starting point for sentencing for commercial trafficking, which these charges fall under, is three years, which can be adjusted based on the circumstances. 

In his submission, Praught recommended a sentence of 18 months in custody.

He said the SA国际影视传媒渇orethoughtSA国际影视传媒� required to commit these crimes increases RheaumeSA国际影视传媒檚 moral culpability as itSA国际影视传媒檚 "not something that you just fall into.SA国际影视传媒�

He told the court that the NWT's population is susceptible to substance abuse and the people who SA国际影视传媒減reySA国际影视传媒� on their vulnerabilities require proper denunciation. 

Defence lawyer Baljinder Rattan proposed 12 to 14 months of custody.

In describing Rheaume's background, Rattan told the court that the offender holds a high school diploma and that he worked in construction until his father suffered a stroke in 2017, at which point Rheaume became his full-time caretaker.

SA国际影视传媒淚 accept full, 100-per-cent responsibility for my actionsSA国际影视传媒� Rheaume told the court.

He said he's addicted to alcohol but he wants to take any counselling programs available in custody. He also said that upon release, he plans to move to Quebec to be with his mother. 

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I get released, I just want to leave Yellowknife and start from scratch,SA国际影视传媒� he said.  

Rheaume will be on probation for six months following his time served in jail. 

Justice Karan Shaner listed RheaumeSA国际影视传媒檚 young age, his guilty plea, and his Indigenous background as mitigating factors that require restraint in sentencing. 

She acknowledged, however, that proper sentencing is crucial to maintaining a peaceful and just society, as well as acknowledging harm to the victims. 

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know how you got mixed up in this,SA国际影视传媒� Shaner said to Rheaume. SA国际影视传媒淵ou seem to have gotten on the wrong path... I hope you pursue your rehabilitation and in making a fresh start, you really do make a fresh start.SA国际影视传媒� 

The sentencing hearing was set originally for last Tuesday Sept. 15, and was rescheduled for Monday when Rheaume didn't turn up in court. 

He apologized at MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 sentencing and told the court that he had slept in.