A man was handed a hefty fine of over $2,000 in Stettler Provincial Court on Jan. 11 for several counts of possession of stolen property in his mother’s garage in Stetttler in August 2008.
Benoit Joseph Lacerte, 22, was fined $1,500 for possession of a stolen quad, and $250 each for possession of stolen audio equipment and a compact disc player and a battery, in addition to surcharges for each of the three counts.
“If you hang around with losers, you are a loser,” said Judge Jim Hunter, former Stettler mayor.
“You’re getting a break today.”
“You could very well have gone to jail for this – next time you’ll go to jail for this.”
“Society shouldn’t have to put up with this,” said Judge Hunter who agreed with Lacerte’s lawyer Robert de Vries who recommended a hefty fine of $1,500.
Lacerte gave a full confession when he was arrested by Stetttler RCMP at the time, said the report read by Crown Counsel.
Andrzej Fronczak was suspended from driving for three years after pleading guilty to driving with an alcohol content of 250 milligrams in two readings, three times over the legal limit of 80 mg in Byemoor on June 13 around 11:30 a.m.
He is scheduled to appear for sentencing on May 26 in Red Deer Provincial Court for a discharge application after spending time in a rehabilitation centre.
Donald Jack Bosma was fined $250 after pleading guilty to one count of obstructing and resisting a police officer after he sped off in his vehicle after police stopped him in Stettler on July 1 around midnight.
Garrett Michael Smiley, 22, of Stettler was fined $150 after pleading guilty to obstructing and resisting a police officer in connection with a robbery at The Beat bar in Stettler on Dec. 1.
“I was in the wrong that day,” said Smiley.
Stating that he had a knife pulled on him during a robbery, he refused to comply with police who instructed him to leave the scene.
“You had the opportunity to assist police by giving evidence or walk away, and unfortunately you didn’t,” said Judge Hunter.
Tees theft suspect fails to show in court - again
Earlier, a key witness and suspect in a high-profile farm theft in Tees last March again failed to appear in court as scheduled.
Harold T. Groening (31) of Mirror was absent in Stettler Provincial Court on Jan. 11, when he was ordered by judge to appear in one month.
“He is to be here in person on Feb. 11 to set a date for trial,” said Judge Jim Hunter.
“If not, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.”
Groening, one of the three accused in connection with the theft a pick-up truck and an all-terrain vehicle on March 25 and 26, 2009 from a Tees-area farm, faces two counts of theft under $5,000 and theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property. Farm owner Brian Russell Knight is also charged for shooting at the three accused.
Groening was arrested and released after a warrant was issued on Dec. 21 when he was scheduled to appear for the trial of Kyle Rosenthal (23) of Alix, who faces similar charges in the incident and was rescheduled to appear in court this June 22.
With six previous scheduled court appearances, Groening has also had two or three other lawyers on record, stated the Crown Counsel.
This was the second warrant issued to Groening, who was allegedly wounded with two shots from a shotgun.
He also failed to show for the preliminary hearing of Tees farmer Brian Russell Knight (38), in November with the hearing set for June 17 in Stettler.
Knight faces charges of unlawful use of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a dangerous weapon, assault with a weapon, criminal negligence causing injury, dangerous driving and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
Nick Dewald, 22, of Alix, was fined $400 in Stettler Provincial Court on Nov. 26 after pleading guilty to a charge of theft under $5,000, as one of three men charged in the incident.