Convicted cocaine trafficker was not a key part of Yellowknife drug ring, N.W.T. judge rules

A convicted drug dealer from Yellowknife was not selling enough cocaine to warrant being labelled a "commercial trafficker" and instead sold drugs to feed her own addiction, an N.W.T. Supreme Court judge ruled.

Tuesday, lawyers for the Crown and defence presented their cases on the scale of Serenus Bryan's drug dealing.

Bryan isone of about 30 people arrested in 2016 as part of a large-scale "dial-a-dope" drug network in Yellowknife.

Crown prosecutors argued she was an essential part of a widespreaddrug-trafficking network, while her defence lawyers said Bryanonly sold drugs to her partner and to feed her own addictions.

In her ruling, N.W.T. Supreme Court JusticeKaranShanersided with the defence, ruling the Crown failed to prove beyonda reasonable doubt thatBryan was a high-level drug dealer.

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Bryan was convicted by an 11-person jury Nov. 2 of trafficking cocaine. The same jury found her not guilty of traffickingfentanyl.

Bryan's role in drug operation in question

After Tuesday morning's session Crown prosecutor DuanePraught said Bryan could face more thantwo years in prison if she was convicted of "commercial trafficking."

But because ofShaner'sruling in the afternoon, Bryan will likely serve a lighter sentence.

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A sentencing date will be scheduled at another hearing on Jan. 7.