WESTLOCK – A now-recovering cocaine and meth addict involved in the theft of guns from a Swan Hills home in late 2022, will spend the next two years under a conditional-sentence order (CSO) that includes 24-hour-a-day house arrest, then serve an additional year of probation.
In Westlock Court of Justice Aug. 30, Austin Plamondon, 25, pleaded guilty to break and enter to steal a firearm, while three charges of theft under $5,000 and single counts of possession of firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, possession of a control substance and 99.1 of the Criminal Code, which relates to the “manufacture, transfer, offer to do so, or possess firearms or related items without authorization under the Firearms Act”, were withdrawn by Crown prosecutor Brett Grierson.
Justice Vaughn Myers agreed to the joint-sentence submission from Grierson and defence lawyer Carli Ryan-Jean on the two-year, less-a-day, CSO and the 12 months of probation — the CSO includes a bevy of conditions including house arrest, as well as steering clear of drugs and alcohol and reporting to authorities. Plamondon will also pay a $200 victim-fine surcharge, provide a sample of his DNA to authorities, and is banned from owning guns for 10 years, while any drugs seized during his arrest were forfeit to the Crown.
While Grierson said this crime normally “attract a custodial term as it’s a break and enter and the stealing of firearms” he said Plamondon’s lack of a prior criminal record, along with the fact he “admitted his involvement to police” were factors in the CSO.
“He stated his motivation was to get money to feed a drug addition he had which by all accounts he has taken steps to address,” said Grierson. “He was influenced by an older man to do something serious and has taken responsibility for it.”
Justice Myers told Plamondon this was a “hell of a way to start out a criminal career” and warned him that breaching the order could lead to further charges or the collapse of the CSO that could lead to jail. Although no details of the crime were read into the record, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General Court Checks stated the offence date was Nov. 7, 2022, within the Town of Swan Hills.
“It’s (methamphetamine) a terrible addiction to kick, so I hope you get back on the right track and live the life you’re quite clearly capable of living,” said Justice Myers.
Ryan-Jean said Plamondon, who’s “been clean since the incident”, grew up in Westlock and faced a “difficult upbringing” and was kicked out of the family home at age 14. She said Plamondon’s parents divorced when he was 12 and he started drinking alcohol at 13, then graduated to cocaine by age 16 and finally got hooked on methamphetamine. She said it’s “been a long journey to sobriety” for her client but he’s now gainfully employed at a “solid job” and “doing very, very well.” Although the house arrest is 24-hours-a-day, Plamondon is allowed to work or leave his home to shop for groceries or make a doctor’s appointment.
“I’m sorry that I took that path,” Plamondon told Justice Myers.
