Whitehorse man gets 30 months for operating meth lab in mom's basement

A 24-year-old Whitehorse man who operated a small meth lab in his mother's basement in the Riverdale neighbourhood of Whitehorse, is going to prison outside the territory.

Trevor Mendham admitted his guilt in territorial court this week and was sentenced to 30 months in jail.

It's the first known case of a meth lab in the Yukon. 

It was discovered last February by firefighters after Mendham called 911 to report a fire in his mother's home. RCMP had to bring in a special team from Vancouver to safely dismantle the lab. 

According to what was said in court this week, Mendham used the lab to supply his personal addiction. He has been a heavy methamphetamine user since high school. 

The Crown told the court there is no evidence Mendham was selling the drugs he was manufacturing.

The Crown also told the court, while on bail this summer Mendham was caught stealing batteries required to manufacture more of the drug and that he fled from police and ran "neck deep" into the Yukon River to avoid capture.

Asked if he had anything to say, Mendham stood and told the sentencing judge, "I'm an addict and I can't help myself."

Operating a meth lab carries a minimum jail term of two years. With credit for time served,  Mendham now has two years and one week left on his sentence. 

His defence lawyer suggested Judge Peter Chisholm take a week off Mendham's sentence so he could serve the time in the Whitehorse jail, but Mendham says he wants to serve the full term in a federal penitentiary.