Pubdate: Tue, 04 Apr 2006
Source: Red Deer Advocate (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Red Deer Advocate
Contact:  http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2492
Author: Andrea Miller
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

JUDGE SENDS STERN MESSAGE ABOUT DEALING

Drug dealers should pay for destroying lives in a city  where cocaine 
has become plentiful, said a Red Deer  judge on Monday.

Thomas Schollie sentenced Phouthauong Khamkhay to two  years and two 
months in jail for trafficking small  amounts of cocaine in the summer of 2004.

His wife broke out in sobs and reached for Khamkhay's  hand as he was 
led away by a courthouse guard.

"This is the problem in Red Deer now -- "too much  cocaine," said 
Schollie in provincial court.

"Does he want his daughters using cocaine or crystal  meth? How many 
people is he ruining?"

The sentence surprised the courtroom because his lawyer  John 
MacNaughton had argued for a conditional sentence  to be served in 
the community.

Khamkhay, 38, had no criminal record and was peddling  small amounts 
of cocaine as part of a dial-a-dope  operation, in which he brought 
the drug to customers.

The family man with three daughters hadn't missed a day  of work due 
to illness in 15 years at a Red Deer meat  plant, said MacNaughton.

But Schollie said Khamkhay should have known better. He  isn't 
addicted to drugs and was selling cocaine to make  extra money.

"Why would a perfect gentleman with a lovely wife and  wonderful 
family have to traffic cocaine? There is no  acceptable reason," said Schollie.

He said drug use is linked to crime and family  breakdown in Red Deer.

Last Friday, two child apprehension orders came before  Schollie 
because the parents were on cocaine, he said.

"I had a guy who committed armed robbery say, "I  shouldn't have done 
it, but I had to pay my dealer."

"This is a small community that has an awful lot of  cocaine in it."

Khamkhay spent two months in custody after he was  arrested in August 2004.

He previously pleaded not guilty and had a trial slated  for April 
18, but he changed his plea.
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