HALIFAX COCAINE DEALER JAILED FOR 27 MONTHS

'Retailer Of Poison' Dealt From Home

Calling cocaine traffickers "retailers of poison," a judge sentenced a
Halifax man who sold the drug out of his home to two years and three months
in prison on Thursday.

At Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Justice Walter Goodfellow sentenced Thomas
Gordon Gray, 62, of Gerrish Street on two counts of cocaine trafficking.
"Trafficking cocaine is a despicable crime that has flourished amongst us,"
Justice Goodfellow said. "Traffickers are retailers of poison.

"Cocaine destroys life and breeds crime. Addiction to cocaine is known to
foster theft, robbery, (and) embezzlement which often results in people who
are exposed to it becoming involved in the drug trade themselves."

In May, Mr. Gray pleaded guilty to the charges and the Crown dropped three
others against him.

Mr. Gray was one of 28 people Halifax Regional Police arrested in a
undercover drug bust, dubbed Operation Crack Pot, in 1999.

Federal Crown attorney Tim McLaughlin told the court that Mr. Gray
trafficked crack cocaine twice in September 1999 to an undercover police
officer and an agent.

Both times, he sold a $20 rock of crack cocaine out of a bag containing 10
to 15 pieces.

"The facts are as innocuous as somebody going in and buying a pack of
cigarettes except this is not tobacco, this is crack cocaine," Mr.
McLaughlin said.

"This offence was an ongoing trade for profit. It was organized to a degree
that there was a location to go to, Mr. Gray had cocaine available for
distribution."

Mr. Gray admitted that he'd been selling crack cocaine off and on for about
a year.

But in a presentence report, he explained that he sold drugs after he broke
his leg, which put him behind in his bills.

Mr. Gray's lawyer, Robert McCleave, told the judge his client was working
two or three jobs to make a living.

"Mr. Gray's involvement (with drugs) had more to do with need than greed,"
Mr. McCleave said.

Having his leg in a cast for 12 weeks, Mr. McCleave said, prevented Mr.
Gray from doing those jobs - putting him behind four months in his rent.
Mr. McLaughlin asked the judge to impose a four-year prison term while Mr.
McCleave sought a conditional sentence.

The presentence report described Mr. Gray as a responsible, trustworthy
person with a commendable work record.

Several letters of support also characterized him as a caring, decent,
responsible and productive member of the community.

"It's hard to contemplate how such a person would engage in trafficking in
cocaine in this community," Justice Goodfellow said.

"An explanation that he had a temporary setback of a broken leg is no
justification."

The judge determined that a conditional sentence would not address the need
for general deterrence and "would bring the administration of justice into
disrepute."

"Circumstances here demand a sentence in a federal penitentiary."

Mr. Gray is also banned from owning or possessing weapons or ammunition for
10 years.

The Crown also intends to seize half of the $640 taken from Mr. Gray's home.