One of the five men arrested following an informant-assisted sting last summer has been sentenced to federal time for his role in the cocaine dealing operation.

John "Yada” Vanderheide, 38, of Surrey, B.C., was arrested and charged last summer after a paid RCMP informant recorded him and a number of other men engaged in a drug deal, according to evidence heard in territorial court last week.

Police allege that Vanderheide; Liam Leslie, 34, of Whitehorse; and Shaun "Duke” Naidu, 29, also of Whitehorse, are all members of what is known as "The Surrey Group” and were responsible for much of the drug trade in the Yukon capital.

Project Macer was aimed at cracking their operation, police said at the time of their arrest, using a drug dealer-turned-informant who started working for police in the spring of 2009.

All three men were charged with a raft of drug offences, including criminal conspiracy, a rare and high-level charge generally aimed at organized crime.

Vanderheide pleaded guilty to the conspiracy offence Friday.

The Crown prosecutor dropped the lesser charges, which included possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a prohibited firearm, namely a nine-millimetre handgun.

The defence and prosecution agreed on a prison term of five years, minus 13 1/2 months for time already served.

The Surrey man was also ordered to forfeit $8,000 in cash which was confiscated during the bust.

Judge Michael Cozens also slapped Vanderheide with a lifetime firearm ban.

Naidu pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of trafficking last December, admitting to selling 800 Ecstasy pills to the informant.

He was sentenced to 15 months in jail, and four other charges against him were dropped.

However, a charge of criminal conspiracy is still pending against Naidu; at the December sentencing hearing, his lawyer indicated he would fight that charge.

Whitehorse residents Ryan Derkson, 27, and Jesse Ritchie, 34, were also arrested following the sting.

During the sentencing hearings for Naidu and Vanderheide, the court learned police do not believe they are involved in the so-called Surrey Group.

Both are free on bail and the charges against them have not been proven in court.