Crown Counsel says seven years jail time is necessary for a Williams Lake man who has been previously convicted of drug trafficking.
42-year-old Jasbir Pawar appeared for sentencing Thursday morning in Williams Lake Supreme Court on four new counts for possession for the purpose of trafficking following four days of RCMP surveillance in 2016.
Crown Counsel said a prior four-year jail sentence did not deter Pawar from engaging in mid to large scale drug trafficking, and that his motivation was clearly greed.
“No one should be selling drugs and Mr. Pawar certainly should not have been selling them. At the time he had a decent job at a sawmill in town and he is a very personable man. Instead of using his skills and his personality he chose again to be heavily involved with the drug trade.”
Defense meanwhile said five years is appropriate and argued that Pawar’s behavior had nothing to do with greed.
“He didn’t need the money from selling drugs. My friend cites these various cases as greed, greed, greed while he’s driving a used Hyundai, he’s living at home with his parents and doesn’t have any plan to move out, he wasn’t supporting girlfriends or doing any of these things.”
“He liked the social aspect of sales and of course its the wrong drugs he’s selling. So this plan he’s got to get into the supplement business that he already was in lesser amounts gives him that social element to get out and meet people and sell something.”
Madam Justice Church said she was not prepared to issue a sentencing decision today.
Defense said it plans on appealing and maintains there were issues related to police conduct which it believes could have resulted in the evidence being excluded.
“It was not a case where Mr. Pawar was going to come to court and deny the offenses which he was charged. This case was all based on the assertion that his Charter Rights were violated and that’s why we went to trial,” Defense said.
Defense added since the two and half years Pawar was arrested, Pawar has been in good conduct and has not conducted any drug trafficking. He also has a plan to stay out of trouble once he serves his time and would like to sell exercise supplements.
“I wish wasn’t here today,” Pawar said.
“I’ve been moving forward and just want to get myself on my feet again.”