Contractor pleads guilty to arson in massive Windermere condo fire
A contractor pleaded guilty to arson Thursday in relation to a blaze that razed a southwest Edmonton condo development, causing millions of dollars worth of damage.
Dressed in a dark suit, Eric Gould arrived at court with his lawyer to enter the guilty plea to one count of arson.
Gould, 31, was the framing contractor for the fourstorey condo development being built in the Windermere neighbourhood, near 10 Avenue and 173 Street, by developer Cove Properties.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Gould and Jeremy Thibert, a framer who worked for and lived with Gould, went to the property in the early hours of March 15, 2014.
Gould waited in a vehicle while Thibert, who dressed in several layers of clothing to disguise his identity, poured two Gatorade bottles filled with gasoline on building materials and set them alight.
Thibert was sentenced in September 2015 to two years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to charges of arson and conspiracy to commit arson.
Thibert told the court at the time of his trial that he had been offered $6,000 to set the fire after Gould’s company’s work on the project was found to be deficient.
Court heard Thursday that Gould had admitted his involvement in the crime to an undercover police officer.
According to the agreed statement of facts, Gould told the officer he’d “done his homework” on the work site’s security system before going through with the plan.
Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Paul Belzil accepted the guilty plea. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20.
Gould remains out on bail, but declined requests for comment after the hearing.
Crown prosecutor Kevin Mark said he and defence lawyer Kent Teskey expect to make a joint submission on sentencing.
Gould, Thibert and Gould’s Framing & Construction Inc. also face a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by Cove Properties.
The developer is seeking $6.6 million in losses and damages in addition to $500,000 in punitive damages.
No one was injured in the fire.