Drug addiction leads to crime spree

An addiction to drugs turned a former casino dealer into a petty criminal who stole an envelope of cash from a customer to feed his habit, court was told Wednesday.

David Thompson, 29, was placed on probation for two years after he pleaded guilty in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines to several charges including theft under $5,000.

Court was told Thompson, who previously worked as a dealer at Fallsview Casino Resort, returned to the casino in June and spotted a customer carrying an envelope filled with at least $4,999 in cash.

Thompson ran up behind the man, grabbed the envelope and fled. The money was recovered after he was confronted by casino security staff.

“This is an intelligent young man,” defence lawyer Brenda Sandulak told Judge Peter Wilkie. “He knows there are cameras at the casino about every two feet. He knows he’ll be easily recognized.”

Three days after the casino incident, court heard, Thompson attempted to cash a stolen cheque at a Lundy’s Lane business.

On July 5, a man called police to report someone was sleeping in his vehicle. When police arrived, they removed Thompson from the vehicle and, during a search, discovered about $750 in crystal meth.

He was arrested again less than two weeks later after he damaged computer equipment at a Victoria Avenue hotel after he was refused a refund for his room.

Sandulak told the judge her client had no previous criminal record.

“Up until this little spiral he got caught up in, he was a productive member of society,” she said.

“The need for drugs took over and common sense was left behind.”