CRACK SHACK OWNER TOLD TO LEAVE CITY AFTER HIS RELEASE

A local man who sold cocaine out of his trailer and once referred to
his home as 'Charlie's' Crack Shack' will spend two and a half months
in jail and must leave the city after his release.

Long-time Port Alberni resident Charles L. Zilversmit was sentenced
in Port Alberni Provincial Court on Friday after pleading guilty to
one count of simple possession of cocaine and one count of possession
of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

A pre-sentence report was prepared on Zilversmit - court heard the
report found he provided cocaine to various people who lived for
periods of time in his trailer on Falls Road so they wouldn't have to
resort to prostitution to support their habits. He also used the
money to support his own cocaine addiction, court heard.

According to the Federal Crown, Zilversmit had been selling cocaine
out of his residence for a number of months and was well-known to
police, who investigated and eventually searched the residence on two
occasions, once on Dec. 4, 2006 and once on May 24, 2007.

Crown sought an additional four months in jail on top of the 40 days
Zilversmit had already been in custody.

The defense sought a conditional sentence, noting Zilversmit wants to
change his life and is planning to leave the city for work and a new life.

In sentencing Zilversmit, the judge noted the 54-year-old has had a
long-standing addiction to both alcohol and drugs and a past record
of related offences. She also noted he has not learned from "wake-up
calls" he had received, such as losing his job in 1994 after 22 years
because of his addiction.

The judge also pointed out he was under bail and probation conditions
when the second offense occurred.

Court heard that Zilversmit was "misguided in his attempts to protect
others from their addictions" and in fact was enabling them to use drugs.

Zilversmit was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail, taking into account
time served, followed by one year of probation, with conditions that
include he leave Port Alberni two weeks after completing his jail
term and not return until his probation is complete, obey a curfew
and have no contact with a number of named persons involved in the case.