A man, who seemed to make armed robbery “part of his daily routine,” has been sentenced to five years in prison.
In Ontario Court, Corey Landon Lee Hess, 34, of Ohsweken pleaded guilty to three counts each of robbery and possession of a weapon and two breaches of court orders.
Reading from a pre-sentence report, Justice Gethin Edward said Hess would drive his employer’s vehicle and commit robberies before going back to work.
“It’s hard for this court to understand how it seemed to be so matter-of-fact for Mr. Hess – that it was almost part of his daily routine.”
The judge gave Hess credit for time served, leaving him three years behind bars.
Three days after an attempted robbery on May 24, 2021, police issued a warrant for Hess, called him “armed and dangerous.” Police tied him to the robberies, all within a week in May, of a Brant Avenue convenience store and gas stations in Ancaster and Brant County.
On June 7, 2021, police located Hess at a Brantford home. When Hess didn’t surrender, the police emergency response team set up a perimeter and temporarily cleared residents from nearby homes.
At about 6 am the following day, Hess was arrested, with help from the OPP tactics and rescue unit.
The judge said Hess is dealing with depression, mental-health issues and addictions.
“He was not taking his medications at the time of the incidents.”
Edward said Hess had a “challenging upbringing,” resulting from the effects of residential schools on his family, drinking, drug use and the death of his mother.
“It speaks to the fragility of families on the (Six Nations of the Grand River) reserve,” said the judge.
“It is really difficult for courts to grapple with understanding the tremendous amount of grievance that goes on in communities from that territory.”
Hess told court he is eager to address his depression and addictions while in custody.
Edward noted that Hess was previously convicted of a robbery in Hamilton, for which he was sentenced in 2019 to two years less one day in jail.
@EXPSGamble