Probation for woman caught with cache of identity documents

A 27-year-old woman arrested with a cache of identity documents has been released from custody and placed on probation for 18 months.

The Crown had been asking for time in jail for Chelsy Augustine, saying identity fraud is a “serious problem” in Niagara.

“Stealing of people’s identification is an extremely stressful event for the person who all of a sudden finds out their cards have been taken,” assistant Crown attorney Mark Eshuis said in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines, Monday.

Augustine was arrested June 5 after being stopped by Niagara Regional Police for an outstanding arrest warrant from Toronto.

When the Augustine was searched, court heard, she was found in possession of a multitude of identification documents including driver’s licences, health cards, benefit cards and social insurance cards belonging to other people.

In addition to a charge of possession of identity documents, the Niagara woman pleaded guilty to an unrelated drug charge in connection to a traffic stop in Niagara Falls. She also pleaded guilty to attempting to cash a bank draft at Niagara Falls bank. The draft, for just more than $4,000, was reported missing on the same day it was issued.

“There was no actual loss, but certainly a risk of loss,” the Crown said.

Court heard the defendant had spent the equivalent of 30 days in pretrial custody.

The judge imposed a time-served sentence and placed the woman, who had no previous criminal record, on probation for 18 months.