Conditional sentence for mail thefts

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This article was published 09/03/2021 (1790 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A woman was given a conditional sentence on Monday after pleading guilty to her role in a series of mail thefts.

Rashelle Studer, 38, pleaded guilty to a series of charges from between late 2020 and January 2021.

Crown attorney Brett Rach said on Oct. 30, 2020, Brandon police executed a search warrant based on information there was a stolen truck cover at the accused’s residence. He said the complainant ordered the truck cover online and had it delivered, but it was quickly stolen from their front door.

The truck cover went up online for sale and the complainant contacted the seller, who gave her an address, Rach said by phone.

Police talked to the landlord, who showed officers a video of Studer bringing in a large box, Rach said.

When officers executed the search, they found the area where the cover was photographed for the online sale but not the cover itself, the Crown said. Police also found Epsom salts previously reported stolen.

Then, on Dec. 29, 2020, police received a call from the sister of a man Studer was with, saying the man stole her car, Rach said.

The car was turned off remotely, and police went to the area where the vehicle was stopped.

When police arrived, they found the car was empty, but a man in the area told officers he saw a man and a woman go into an apartment building, Rach said.

Police went into the building and found both Studer and her co-accused. A woman in the building said someone stole from her mailbox, Rach said, and some of the mailboxes were pried open.

Officers found cheques from someone in the building on the co-accused, he said.

Studer didn’t have anything from the building on her, but Rach said she had a driver’s licence that didn’t belong to her.

Then, on Jan. 14, Rach said Studer was caught on surveillance footage taking a package from in front of a house in Brandon.

Officers found the car Studer got in and out of nearby and the package she took in the back seat.

At the time, Studer was breaking a “strict” curfew she had been put on after a previous incident, Rach said.

The series of thefts are not something new for Brandon, Rach said, and related to the drug sub-culture. He said he believes the stolen property was put online for sale to get money to pay for drugs.

The Crown and defence jointly recommended a seven-month conditional sentence order going forward and 90 days time served for the charges. Rach said the conditional sentence order provides a “carrot and a stick” approach as Studer has the ability to serve the jail sentence in the community.

Defence lawyer Barry Sinder said the major issue for Studer is addiction and it is something she wrestles with, but she has family who want the best for her. He said Studer plans to live outside of Brandon and can hopefully get treatment for her addiction.

Judge Donovan Dvorak endorsed the sentence jointly recommended by the Crown and defence and said Studer knows the issue she needs to address.

“Thankfully, you have people who want to bring you up … but goodwill isn’t endless. You’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity you have, and this opportunity is one where you can get a fresh start,” he said.

Dvorak warned the conditional sentence order comes with strict conditions, including abstaining from drugs or alcohol, and breaking them could mean spending the rest of the time in jail.

» dmay@brandonsun.com

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