A 10-month crime spree has netted a 10-month jail sentence for a Red Deer man who pleaded guilty to numerous property offences in Red Deer provincial court on Wednesday.
Earl Charles Bruyea, 25, was arrested in December of 2009 and charged with a variety of offences following a police investigation into thefts involving a number of suspects accused of breaking into businesses and stealing goods worth more than $250,000.
Bruyea had pleaded guilty previously to a number of offences laid as a result of the investigation, including mischief, dangerous driving, fleeing from police and possession of stolen property of a value exceeding $5,000 along with charges of failing to attend court and breaching conditions of his release.
Offences dated back to February of 2009 and continued through the year until Bruyea and others were arrested and charged.
A three-day trial was to have commenced on Wednesday with Bruyea facing 13 additional charges, including break and enter, possession of stolen property and a further mischief charge.
However, represented by Ponoka-based lawyer Chris Paterson, Bruyea instead entered a plea of guilty on most of the charges, including the theft of two all-terrain vehicles and a utility trailer, breaking into a business, breaking into an impound lot to recover personal possession from a vehicle that had been seized and six counts of possession of stolen property, found during a search of his home.
A charge of break and enter laid in relation to the impound lot incident was replaced with a charge of mischief.
Paterson argued for a light sentence, stating that his client had fallen in with some bad people and gone on a crime spree, but has since turned his life around and become a contributing member of society.
He said Bruyea has been accepted into an apprenticeship program, has enrolled in the appropriate courses at Red Deer College and started his own business with contracts to a number of local construction companies, including his former employer.
Paterson argued that Bruyea is not likely to repeat his crimes of the past, stating that his client has lived in the same rental property for the past five years and that he and his common-law wife, who have been together for six years, are now expecting their first child.
Noting that the Supreme Court of Canada has described prison as a finishing school for criminals, Paterson argued that society would be better served by allowing Bruyea to remain free on a conditional sentence or probation so he can continue to work, attend school and take care of his growing family.
Crown prosecutor Denis Huot asked for a jail sentence of 18 to 24 months, but said he would not take any position on whether or not a conditional sentence would be appropriate.
Judge Jim Mitchell acknowledged the guilty pleas as factors in sentencing, but stated that they would have held more weight had they been entered sooner.
Mitchell also acknowledged Paterson’s evidence of Bruyea’s change in character.
However, he said, the gravity of the offences was such that a short period of incarceration would be required.
Mitchell ordered that Bruyea serve a a global sentence of 10 months, including two months for the theft of the Yamaha ATV, a consecutive sentence of three months for break and enter, an consecutive sentence of three months for the theft of the Ranger ATV, two months concurrent for the theft of the trailer that was carrying it, one month consecutive for breaking into the impound lot to retrieve his wallet and keys and one month for each of the possession of stolen property charges, consecutive to the other sentences but concurrent with each other.
“It’s an awful experience for the court to have to incarcerate a young man, particularly a young fellow like yourself who does show some really good signs of moving ahead,” said Mitchell.
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com