Man to serve fraud sentence on weekends
A27-year-old man was given a break Friday when he admitted in Lethbridge court to a string of offences late last year and earlier this year. Cody Michael Harris pleaded guilty to fraud under $5,000, false pretenses under $5,000 and break and enter, and was sentenced to 130 days in jail. But he will get to serve his sentence on weekends.
Although intermittent sentences are only granted for sentences of three month or less, Harris met the criteria after court took into account the 40 days he had already spent in custody on the charges, leaving him only 90 days to serve.
Judge Eric Peterson noted that although a longer sentence of five to six months recommended by the Crown would be appropriate, he reduced the sentence to weekends so Harris can work and not become “a drain on society.”
In November 2015 Harris falsely filled out an application with the Vulcan Food Bank that enabled him to receive $1,650 in assistance. He claimed he was going to work in the oil field and needed $500 for a damage deposit and another $1,150 for rent. But an employee became suspicious when she received additional applications with similar information.
RCMP were notified and an investigation revealed Harris was not employed by the claimed company and was not planning to rent a home in Vulcan.
Last February, in an attempt to unlawfully get more money, Harris deposited a $1,500 cheque at the Chinook Financial Credit Union from another bank. After he was given the money, the bank learned the cheque was from an account that had been closed six months earlier.
Then last month Harris broke into a rural oil and gas site, from which 350 feet of copper wire worth $10,000 was stolen. The wire was never recovered.
In arguing for a lower sentence, lawyer Wade Hlady said Harris has a job lined up — for real — and would be able to work if he was only jailed on weekends. He said Harris was forthright with police, co-operated with their investigation, and pleaded guilty rather than going to trial which, court was told, might have been problematic for the Crown.
Harris will also be on probation for a year and he must take counselling for substance abuse. The judge also issued compensation orders for the food bank, Credit Union and the oil and gas company, Crescent Point Energy.
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