A man who robbed a convenience store and stole multiple vehicles – including a delivery van filled with Amazon packages – was sentenced in Ontario Court in Brantford to 2 1/2 years in prison.
But Brolyn Patten-Myers-Antone, 27, will serve 18 months in jail after getting credit for time served.
“I’m sorry to everyone I’ve hurt emotionally and financially,” Patten-Myers-Antone said before being sentenced.
“I know I have a drug problem but that’s no excuse. I’ve been on the wrong road far too long. And I’m grateful I’m still alive so I can chose to go a different way, unlike so many of my friends.”
“You sound sincere,” said Ontario Court Justice Robert Gee.
“But you’re the only one who can make the change. Every day we see people in these courts whose lives are being ruined by drugs. If you stay on the drugs, you’ll be back in jail.”
Court was told that, on Sept. 11, 2020, Patten-Myers-Antone and an accomplishment entered an Erie Avenue convenience store with a firearm, which may or may not have been real, and demanded money and cigarettes from a clerk.
“Workers at any store, but particularly those working early in the morning, should feel safe at their jobs and not have to worry about someone coming in with a firearm,” said assistant Crown attorney Josh Mociak.
At the time, Patten-Myers-Antone was under court orders to behave due to earlier offenses that year.
Patten-Myers-Antone pleaded guilty to robbery, using a firearm in a robbery and failing to comply with release orders.
He also pleaded guilty to earlier offences, including driving while suspended, possession of stolen property (a vehicle found at his home), attempted theft and theft of vehicles and possession of break-in instruments.
Just before the robbery, he stole a van while the driver was delivering a package. The van contained 120 packages.
Last October, OPP in London issued an alert for a stolen vehicle and a suspect in recent carjackings.
Police on Six Nations of the Grand River spotted and followed the suspect vehicle, which sped away after nudging a cruiser. After calling off a chase due to safety issues, police learned about a vehicle collision on Indian Line. Two men involved in the crash had run away.
An injured Patten-Myers-Antone was found and arrested.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, flight from police and theft of a van, which he had taken from a family member in Brantford.
Gee’s sentence was lower than that suggested by the Crown and higher than the one sought by the defence.
“He didn’t have much of a record but this was quite a number of offenses and some were particularly dangerous,” the judge said of Patten-Myers-Antone.
“The robbery was, by far, the most serious offense and is always going to garner a significant response from the courts.”
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