Man sentenced to year in jail for drug trafficking

When Donaldson Steven Paksi sold three fentanyl pills to a customer on Aug. 12, 2016, he didn’t know his buyer, who paid $105 for the drugs, was an undercover police officer.

After several delays and some time spent in custody, Paksi, 24, pleaded guilty Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to one count of drug trafficking and was sentenced to a year in jail and placed on probation for 18 months.

The sentence will run at the same time as another one-year sentence Paksi received after pleading guilty to several other charges, comprising theft under $5,000, break and enter, drug possession, possession of stolen property, possession of identification documents, possession of credit card data and breaching court orders.

While investigating thefts in 2016 police questioned Paksi and found him in possession of a cheque in another person’s name, a credit card, jewelry and other stolen items. Police also noted he was intoxicated and outside his curfew, both infractions of a court order.

Last April Paksi used a garage door opener he took from a car and opened a garage. He then rummaged around looking for items to steal. And last month he attempted to leave a clothing store with a pair of jeans for which he didn’t pay. He was also caught with fentanyl.

The Crown told court Paksi has a drug addiction and was stealing items to pay for drugs.

Defence lawyer Robin McIntyre said when Paksi was only 14 he was hit by a car while skateboarding. He was in the hospital for seven months and became addicted to drugs. McIntyre pointed out Paksi also suffers from anxiety and depression, but he is taking steps to deal with his issues.

Paksi was given credit for five months already spent in custody, leaving seven months on his sentence.