Four years.

That’s the sentence the Crown wants for Michael Gaber, the former Whitehorse jail guard who was convicted in June of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.

In Supreme Court on Wednesday, defence lawyer Vincent Larochelle argued that a 3 1/2- to four-year sentence would be too severe for his client.

Larochelle pointed to case law that showed sentences of similar length were often handed to those who had trafficked in much harder drugs than the 59 Ritalin pills Gaber was found with in December 2013.

At the time, Gaber was working at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre. Officials at the jail said they were tipped off that Gaber might be bringing in drugs.

Gaber was searched and the pills were discovered. An additional search of his car found marijuana, though that was excluded from trial because the search was illegal.

Larochelle asked for a sentence of 18 months, saying Gaber had already paid a hefty price for his actions – that, at 48, Gaber is living with his parents and his life has fallen apart.

He also said the breach of trust, rather than the drug offence, was the most significant transgression in the case.

“Mr. Gaber was in a position of trust, and he abused that position,” Lacrochelle conceded.

Larochelle also said his client wasn’t, as the Crown had suggested, motivated by profit and greed.

“He did profit,” said Justice Ron Veale. “But he wasn’t using it for yachts in the Caribbean.”

Veale referenced evidence from Gaber’s January trial that suggested Gaber turned to drug-smuggling because bills were getting tight for his family, including his wife and two kids.

“There are other options than trafficking drugs,” said Crown prosecutor Eric Marcoux.

Gaber will be sentenced Sept. 28.