A Sarnia judge said breaking and entering is a serious offense.
A Sarnia judge said breaking and entering is a serious offense.
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But breaking into a place like Royal Canadian Legion Branch 172 in Watford, which is what Brendon Bolduc did in April, is particularly serious, Justice Mark Poland said.
“That’s a non-profit center. It’s a community hub. It’s a place that’s designed to provide respite to community members, veterans, supporters of former and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Mr. Bolduc’s theft from that place is particularly galling,” Poland said while recently sentencing him to six months in jail and $2,500 in restitution.
Bolduc, 37, from Warwick Township, was facing seven charges after Lambton OPP said cash boxes were stolen from the legion in Watford overnight on April 13. Police at the time said an intruder kicked in a window and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, causing significant damage to the interior of the building in the process.
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“Sad to report we were broken last night. The legion will be closed today,” the organization wrote on its Facebook page on April 13.
During Bolduc’s sentencing hearing, the court heard about $2,750 was reported stolen by the legion president and the damage included the window and a chemical mess left behind after Bolduc discharged a fire extinguisher inside the building. A restoration company had to be called in to clean up the floor and bar area.
“There’s still a lot of work in order to get the legion ready to open by next weekend,” the group posted on its Facebook page on April 21. “We need volunteers to help get the place back together. Any help is appreciated.”
Poland called the extinguisher discharge entirely gratuitous.
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“Quite difficult to understand why he might do that,” the judge said.
Bolduc’s longtime lawyer, Terry Brandon, said his client has been addicted to drugs for a decade and has never gone to rehab, but he is finally ready to do that.
The court heard police saw Bolduc on video surveillance at the building between 3:30 and 4:30 am that Saturday morning. They got a warrant to search Bolduc’s home about two weeks later and found five metal cash boxes with the legion’s logo and its receipt books.
Bolduc, with ties to Watford, Petrolia, Glencoe and Sarnia, initially was facing charges of breaking and entering with intent, breaching an undertaking, and two counts each of possessing stolen property worth more than $5,000 and mischief worth less than $5,000. He recently pleaded guilty just to breaking and entering with intent and mischief of less than $5,000 and the rest of the charges were dropped as part of the plea deal.
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He was sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay back the legion. Poland said half a year behind bars, which was suggested by both lawyers, was the lowest possible sentence.
Bolduc had enough time in pre-plea custody to fully serve the sentence, but was still facing two sets of charges, one in Sarnia and London. However, he’s since gotten lease so he can go to rehab. He’s due back in court in London on Friday and in Sarnia on Nov. 4.
Bolduc’s previous criminal record includes six months in jail in 2022 for a series of crimes including possessing stolen property, which he posted on his own Instagram account. He also got probation in 2017 for possessing stole ATV and got in trouble in 2016 for not doing his short-ordered community service.
Assistant Crown attorney Meaghan Jones said he’s not that young anymore, but she hopes his time in rehab is a turning point for him.
“It’d be good for him. It’d also be good for the community,” Poland said.
“I’m sorry about everything,” Bolduc told the court.
Bolduc, who is also banned from going to the legion while on probation, cried tears of joy earlier this summer when he was cleared of drug trafficking charges after the prosecutor confirmed the 52 grams of a white powder police seized turned out to be baking soda.
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