Weymouth drug dealer Elijah La-Croix jailed for 40 months

Elijah La-Croix, aged 26, was sentenced to more than three years imprisonment at Bournemouth Crown Court for one count of intent to supply class A drugs and one count of intent to supply class B drugs in Weymouth on January 15, 2021, as well as one count of possession of class B drugs and one count of possession with intent to supply class A drugs in Weymouth on July 7, 2021.

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Prosecuting, Helen Easterbrook, told the court that at approximately 10pm on January 15, 2021, La-Croix was stopped and searched by police after officers saw him briefly get in and out of a vehicle.

Elijah La-Croix. Picture: Dorset Police

Ms Easterbrook said La-Croix was found to have had more than £1,100 in cash on him. The defendant was later strip searched by police where 'a package of crack cocaine' was found 'between his buttocks'.

La-Croix told officers he was staying at his grandmother's address where 50 grams of cannabis was also found as well as a mobile phone with a small quantity of drug-related messages.

In interview La-Croix said the illegal drugs in his possession were for personal use and that the money had been given to him by his grandmother.

Ms Easterbrook said there was a second incident on July 7, 2021 when police received a report from a member of public of suspected drug dealing.

Police attended the area and approached the defendant who looked similar to the description given.

She said: "When he was stopped for that search he became aggressive with the officers."

During what was said to be a 'short struggle' with police, La-Croix attempted to escape and crawled under a nearby car. Under the car, officers found a small plastic tube and a cellophane ball, which contained a total of 97 individual wraps of cocaine. La-Croix, of HMP Winchester, was also found with £545 cash on him.

Ms Easterbrook told the court that La-Croix had been held in custody for the past six months.

'Determined to change'

Mitigating, Benjamin Brown, said: "Mr La-Croix was into low level street dealing at the time to fund his cannabis habit."

He said La-Croix was dealing so that he could 'earn money quickly' and that he was smoking more cannabis to help him deal with his grandmother being unwell.

Mr Brown told the court that La-Croix was 'extraordinarily remorseful'.

He said a pre-sentence report which was prepared before the hearing had defined La-Croix as 'a man who was determined to change'.

Mr brown said that time in custody had been 'challenging' for La-Croix, who had been physically assaulted there twice.

He said: "He is thoroughly motivated to apply himself."

Character references on behalf of La-Croix were given to the judge, with La-Croix's grandmother saying she was 'lost without him'.

Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said: "You are a young man of 26 years of age.

"You have four previous convictions for 11 offences.

"You have no previous convictions for dealing.

"I'm told the reason you got got into this was to fund your cannabis habit at a time when personal circumstances were difficult."

Judge Fuller told La-Croix that he had strong character references which described him as caring.

He added: "But that doesn't take away from the fact that you decided to deal class A drugs."

The defendant had also initially been charged with obstructing a police officer on July 7, 2021. This charge will lie on file.

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Judge Fuller sentenced La-Croix to a total of 40 months imprisonment as well as the forfeiture and destruction of two mobile phones, cash and illegal drugs found in his possession.

He is to also pay a £190 victim surcharge.