Bernard Momprevil was apparently one of Ottawa's busiest drug pushers.

Bernard Momprevil a convicted domestic abuser, he was apparently one of Ottawa's busiest drug pushers. A federal prosecutor yesterday called him a "mid-to-high-level" dealer while asking a judge to send the 31-year-old man to the pen for 10 years. Marlyse Dumel asked the judge to slap Momprevil with the lengthy sentence and not let him seek parole until half the time is served. Dumel said the amount of drugs found in a car used by Momprevil should convince the judge to hand down the decade-long sentence. On Wednesday, Momprevil was sentenced to five years in prison for breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home and viciously beating her. Credit for pretrial custody decreases the time to three years. Now he faces additional jail time for possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking shortly after the attack happened. Police found more than $100,000 worth of drugs, mostly crack cocaine, and about $10,000 in cash in a car used by Momprevil. He was convicted of the drug offences last week. Crown and defence lawyers don't see eye-to-eye on the possible sentence. Defence lawyer Gary Barnes said there are "no grounds" for a 10-year jail sentence. Barnes is proposing a sentence of two years on top of Momprevil's three-year term he'll be serving for the attack. Momprevil broke his silence yesterday and addressed the court, but he was mostly concerned about what he thought were misinterpretations of evidence in the trials. He then expressed frustration at being jailed for a full year before there was a decision on his charges.
"When it takes a year to go to trial, I have to be suspicious," he told the judge.
Momprevil had the opportunity to address the court before his sentencing Wednesday, but he declined at that time.
When asked yesterday why he didn't take the opportunity, Momprevil said he "felt like it was too late." The judge is expected to deliver a sentence on the drug convictions this afternoon

Posted in: Ottawa