Co-accused sentenced for rental frauds
A co-accused in a Stratford rental scam has been sentenced to jail for the offences.
Jimmy Bouillon Savard, 40, appeared in provincial court in Charlottetown on Feb. 12 for sentencing on two counts of counts of fraud under $5,000 and one count of aiding the coaccused (Kelly Giroux) with committing the Stratford offences.
Savard pleaded guilty to those offences on Jan. 22. Savard also pleaded guilty and was sentenced for a third rental fraud that occurred in Charlottetown in August.
CHARLOTTETOWN RENTAL FRAUD
With respect to the Charlottetown offence, Crown attorney Bridget Morriscey told the court that on Aug. 14, Savard pretended to be the owner of an apartment building on Grafton Street and defrauded another man of a $1,000 rental deposit and $1,150 for first month's rent.
Around the same time as the Charlottetown rental fraud, Savard and Giroux were involved in defrauding two people in rental scams in Stratford involving a residence at 47 Brandy Dr. that was advertised on Facebook Marketplace.
STRATFORD RENTAL FRAUDS
The first fraud occurred on July 28 and involved a man giving Giroux $2,850 to rent the Brandy Drive home. Then on Sept. 3, another man was defrauded of a $700 deposit with respect to renting a room at the Brandy Drive home. Neither the home nor the room were available for rent.
During the offences, Savard identified himself as "Tim" - the property manager - whereas Giroux identified himself as "Mark" or "Marc" Gallant and the property's owner.
Savard also pleaded guilty to being a party to the offences by aiding Giroux between July 28 and Aug. 30.
CO-ACCUSED SENTENCED
Giroux was sentenced on Dec. 13 to a total of 16 months in jail for three construction frauds as well as the two rental frauds committed with Savard and a third rental fraud in Stratford of $1,000, along with other offences.
Of that total sentence, Giroux received 40 days in jail (concurrent to the other convictions) for the July 28 rental fraud and 30 days in jail (also concurrent) for the Sept. 3 rental fraud (both committed with Savard), along with two years of probation. Giroux was also ordered to pay restitution for the total amounts defrauded.
For Savard, Morriscey recommended the same 40day and 30-day jail sentences Giroux received (albeit consecutive to each other) and an additional 15 days in jail for the Charlottetown rental fraud.
Savard had a lengthy prior criminal record.
85 DAYS IN JAIL
Legal-aid lawyer Conor Mullin said Savard met Giroux while selling items online on Facebook Marketplace. Savard had been evicted from a residence on Dorchester Street and then started living with Giroux. Mullin added that all of the money from the Stratford rental frauds went to Giroux, and Savard didn't profit from the offences.
Judge Nancy Orr accepted the Crown's sentencing recommendation for a total of 85 days in jail and an order to pay $2,150 in restitution for the Charlottetown fraud.
In addition, Savard was sentenced to 18 months of probation.