A man caught with 17 grams of crack cocaine in his pocket testified that the drugs were only for his personal use.
Samuel Lomong, 33, of Red Deer, told court on Tuesday that on June 18, 2009, he went to an apartment on Bell Street to buy the $700 worth of drugs for himself and a few friends.
Lomong is charged with possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.
He was also caught with $270 in cash and a cellphone in his pocket when Red Deer City RCMP busted him and three others in a raid.
Cpl. Kent Dahl, an RCMP drug expert, testified just prior to Lomong’s testimony that the 17 grams found on Lomong was consistent with an amount used for trafficking.
Dahl told federal Crown prosecutor Dave Inglis that typical users would never have that much in their possession at one time.
He said users buy small quantities at a time because they mostly don’t work or have much money.
The crack piece sizes found on Lomong ranged between 0.4 grams to 4.3 grams but most were around one gram, which Dahl said is consistent with street level sales.
Court heard that police discovered about 266 total grams of crack cocaine in the residence in three places, including that found on Lomong. Police also found about $5,000 in cash in the residence.
The drugs were valued at between $22,000 to $35,000 if sold at the going street rate of $80 to $120 a gram.
Dahl said the drugs found on Lomong were packaged in such a manner to suggest it was for re-sale.
In addition, police didn’t find anything on Lomong or in the apartment to suggest the people charged were crack users. There were no pipes, instruments used for burning such as small torches, steel wool or plastic pipes.
Dahl said the drug operation was a mid-level type as opposed to street level.
“Cocaine is very easily obtainable in Central Alberta,” Dahl said.
Lomong told the prosecutor that he bought the drugs for $700.
But when questioned by Inglis that he told police at the time of the bust he paid $400, Lomong started scrambling for answers.
Inglis also asked the accused how he came into almost $1,000 when he was unemployed.
Lomong said he got some from gambling and the rest from two to four friends.
Police also found apartment keys in Lomong’s pocket, but Lomong testified he didn’t live on Bell Street.
Meanwhile, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Bryan Mahoney granted a stay in a similar charge against James Wani, 25, of Red Deer at the start of the second day of the trial on Tuesday.
On Monday, Robert Ngor, 36, of Red Deer pleaded guilty to a single count of drug trafficking.
The facts against him will be read into the record today and closing arguments in Lomong’s trial will be delivered today as well.
jwilson@www.reddeeradvocate.com