Ryan Souliere paid three visits to a Sault Ste. Marie building centre during the last week of January where he purchased nearly $7,000 worth of merchandise using his employer's account.
On Feb. 7, he again made fraudulent purchases — this time in Echo Bay — totalling $784.
The accused didn't have authorization to charge items to the Garden River First Nation band office account, Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek heard Friday.
Souliere pleaded guilty to defrauding two area Home Hardware stores.
He also was convicted of numerous thefts that occurred in the fall of the 2023 and early this year, assault and three counts of breaching release orders.
The 40-year-old admitted to stealing everything from a chandelier to a shopping cart filled with meat to a Dyson vacuum cleaner from local businesses.
On Sept. 29, a Canadian Tire security guard contacted city police about a man they had nabbed when he left the store without paying for a vacuum.
A couple of weeks later, at 9 a.m. on Oct. 11, employees at Pino's Get Fresh stopped Souliere as he tried to leave the Trunk Road supermarket with $644 worth of items from the meat department.
He was caught on camera walking out of Soo Mill on Great Northern Road with a $900 light fixture on Nov. 3.
The store had a clear video that indicated a male, identified as Souliere, was the chandelier culprit.
He also was tied to a Nov. 28 theft of $157 worth of merchandise from Giant Tiger on Trunk Road.
On Dec. 6, he committed assault, pushing a person’s face into a mattress three times and holding them on the ground, prosecutor Andrew Allen said.
On three subsequent occasions, he failed to comply with his release order by contacting the victim and not remaining in his residence at night.
Police learned about the incidents at the Home Hardware stores on Feb. 12, after the businesses had discovered Souliere didn't have signing authority to charge items.
He was employed by the band office in the public works department, and is a member of the Garden River community, but was not authorized to make purchases on the account, Kwolek heard.
The Crown and defence jointly called for 90 days jail, plus two years probation, as well as restitution to three of the businesses.
Souliere has no criminal record, Allen told the court.
"It appears his life has fallen off the tracks this past year," the assistant Crown attorney said. "Hopefully, his time in custody shows him this behaviour isn't acceptable."
Defence lawyer Leah Policicchio said her client is remorseful and is taking responsibility for his actions.
"He became involved in substance abuse in March of last year" and has lost a lot.
"It's been an eye-opening experience for him."
During his time in custody, Souliere has taken anger management and substance abuse counselling, Policicchio said, adding he has a job after his release and will be able to pay restitution.
"I've learned my lesson," Souliere told the judge. "I made a big mistake, my apologies."
When he imposed the sentence, Kwolek noted things started unravelling for Souliere because of substance abuse issues, which fuel a lot of crime in our community.
He also noted that the accused had 10 charges, with many substantive thefts, before the court.
With the enhanced credit he received for his pre-sentence custody, Souliere faced a further 18 days behind bars (as of last Friday).
During his 24-month probation, he must take any recommended counselling for domestic violence and substance abuse.
He must stay away from Canadian Tire, Pino's, Soo Mill, Giant Tiger, the Home Hardware on Second Line West and the Home Hardware in Echo Bay.
As well, he can have no contact with the person he assaulted, except with written revocable consent that can be withdrawn at any time.
Souliere also is prohibited from possessing weapons, except to hunt for sustenance.
Kwolek also ordered him to pay a total of $1,100 in victim surcharges and gave him two years to do that.
"But first I want you to pay restitution," he told Souliere, describing it as "a substantial amount of money."
The judge imposed three stand-alone restitution orders, requiring him to pay $6,743 to the Second Line West Home Hardware, $784 to the Echo Bay store and $899 to Soo Mill.
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