Rains awaits sentencing in drug-trafficking case

A Lethbridge man who admitted Monday he sold drugs to an undercover police officer more than two years ago will have to wait a few more weeks to learn his fate.

In the meantime, Carter Dylan Rains will remain out of custody, despite the Crown’s attempts to have him incarcerated pending sentencing next year.

“I’m not going to keep him in,” Judge Jerry LeGrandeur ruled Monday in Lethbridge provincial court, where Rains was set to stand trial on charges of drug trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking, but instead pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking.

Court was told Lethbridge police received information that drugs were being sold through a specific cellphone number. At about 6 p.m. Aug. 24, 2016 police conducted a dial-a-dope operation and contacted Rains and arranged to meet him at a location on the northside to buy one gram of methamphetamines for $100.

Rains was not sentenced Monday, but the judge ordered a pre-sentence report, which will provide him with personal information about the accused and his circumstances to help determine a fit sentence.

The Crown is recommending a sentence of three years, which is the starting point in Alberta for drug trafficking. The actual sentence can go up or down from the starting point depending on a number of criteria and circumstances of the case and accused.

In his decision on custody, LeGrandeur acknowledged Rains has been charged with other offences since his initial release on bail, but since he doesn’t pose a threat to society he should not be detained while he waits to be sentenced Jan. 14, 2019.