Pubdate: Fri, 26 Mar 2004
Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2004 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact:  http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Tera Camus
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

WEED-SELLING TEEN GETS JAIL TERM

An 18-year-old caught selling drugs at a school dance was ordered to serve 
90 days in jail Thursday.

Wallace Gouthro of Grand Lake Road, Sydney, was at a Sydney Academy dance 
Nov. 7, when the vice-principal spotted him in the washroom selling 
"nickel" bags of marijuana.

The $5 bags held less than a gram apiece and were being sold to other high 
school students by Mr. Guthro, who has had an academic average in the 90 
per cent range.

"This is a good kid, had a lot of potential," Crown Attorney David Iannetti 
told the court, also noting that the Criminal Code identifies the sale of 
drugs on school grounds as a serious aggravating  factor when sentencing 
drug traffickers.

"If you sell drugs in school, then you have to be prepared to face the 
consequences," Mr. Iannetti said, recommending Judge David Ryan impose 
house arrest.

Defense lawyer Joe Rizzetto argued for a period of probation as it was his 
client's first drug offence.

When asked if he had anything to say, the teenager confidently told the 
judge, "I don't want to go to jail. I don't think that's an appropriate 
sentence for me. I want to get on with my life."

"I can honestly say there's not too many people who stand there who say 
that they want to go to jail," Judge Ryan replied, to the amusement of the 
gallery.

Judge Ryan said he didn't buy the teens excuse that his stash was for 
personal use.

"If there was a lineup, I'm sure that every one would have been sold," 
Judge Ryan said. "Drugs are a very serious problem in our society, and to 
go (sell) where other young people are subject to peer pressure has 
disastrous results."

The sentence will be served on weekends, starting Friday. A year's 
probation will follow, with the conditions that he get treatment for drug 
and alcohol abuse and stay away from the school property unless registered. 
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager