Pubdate: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Maureen Gulyas, Delta Optimist Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) POLICE LAUD DIAL-A-DOPER'S SENTENCE Delta Dealer Got A Four-Year Prison Sentence And No Reduction For Time Served Delta police say the four-year prison term handed the ringleader of a dial-a-dope scheme that operated in South Delta for at least a year should act as a strong deterrent to anyone thinking of entering the illicit drug trade. Christien (Chris) Cameron, 28, originally charged with nine counts of drug trafficking, was scheduled to go to trial in April, but instead pleaded guilty to two counts of cocaine trafficking on Wednesday. The remaining charges were stayed. He was sentenced, in Surrey Provincial Court, to four years in prison without the benefit of time served. That's significant, Delta police Const. Sharlene Brooks said. Usually accused are given double credit for time awaiting trial. Cameron was held for six months. Had the judge given Cameron credit for time served, the sentence would have been closer to three years. Cameron was the second of 12 arrested in the dial-a-dope scheme to be sentenced. Jonathan Da Cruz also pleaded guilty last month and was given one year in prison. In a dial-a-dope scheme, traffickers use cellphones to take calls from customers. Runners deliver the drugs and collect payment. Once their shift ends, cellphones and pagers are turned over to the next person. This "sends a strong message to individuals engaged in drug trafficking that if they wish to conduct such activities in our community, they will be investigated and brought before the courts," Delta police Supt. Brad Parker said. Police plan to emphasize that message as the months go by because they don't want someone filling the gap left by Cameron and the estimated 10 to 15 drug runners who worked for him. Most of those runners have been arrested and are awaiting trial or sentencing. The group's drug supply came from two organized crime groups, police claim. "We can say that some of the [seized] cocaine ... has been sold by Asian organized crime and there are indications that some of the cocaine came from the Hells Angels," Parker said at the time of the arrests and drug seizures last September. The group supplied local teenagers and young adults with crack cocaine, powdered cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek