$36,000 in laundromat damage, other crimes were drug-related, court hears

Lindsey Jones was drug free for five years — until she lost her grandmother and her life went off the rails, a judge heard last week.

Fuelled by her addiction, she embarked on a binge of criminal activity that repeatedly got her into trouble with the law from early 2016 to May of this year.

Her crimes ranged from thefts from supermarkets to burglaries to causing thousands of dollars of damage to two Sault Ste. Marie laundromats.

She also breached court orders and escaped police custody.

On Friday, the 30-year old woman pleaded guilty to 18 charges when she appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice.

Jones admitted she and a co-accused broke into the Wellington Square Mall Laundromat in March 2017, and caused $36,600 damage to 13 commercial washing machines.

A surveillance video showed the pair tampering with the machines, assistant Crown attorney Dana Peterson said.

It's not known if they took any money, she told Justice Romuald Kwolek

The accused was also connected to a January 2016 break-in at Ginger May's Dry & Wash on Poplar Avenue.

Police found blood on coin boxes and the floor and a sample was submitted for forensic analysis, which revealed Jones's DNA, the prosecutor said.

Coin boxes were removed from the machines, resulting in $8,000 damage.

In 2017, Jones also stole two gold rings and hundreds of dollars in cash from two Garden River First Nation seniors.

She also repeatedly shop-lifted items, such as meat, groceries, clothing and merchandise, from various grocery stores and other businesses.

Her lawyer Jennifer Tremblay-Hall said Jones has a significant gap in her record (from 2011 to 2016), when she remained drug free after attending a residential treatment program.

But after the death of her grandmother, who had raised Jones, she turned again to drugs, the defence said.

Tremblay-Hall expressed dissatisfaction with a Gladue report that was prepared for her client's sentencing, suggesting it was thrown together at the last minute.

"I don't want it to be to her detriment," she told Kwolek, indicating "in our jurisdiction we're having exceptional difficulty having reports completed" on time.

Jones has experienced trauma, violence and alcoholism in her family, all of which are inherent effects of colonialism, she said, noting there is residential school impact in Garden River.

"It's drug addiction for her," Tremblay-Hall said. There is a "repetitive cycle" and Jones is "trying again to break it."

Residential treatment was successful before, and she has made arrangements to enter the same program once she is released from jail, the defence said.

Jones has attended seven programs while in custody at the remand centre, where she also participates in the methadone program.

Tremblay-Hall suggested that her client, who has spent the equivalent of five and a half months in pre-sentence custody, spend a further 30 days behind bars.

Peterson called for 90 more days, which would make the sentence just shy of nine months, "significantly different" than the Crown's position prior to receiving the Gladue report.

This is an attempt to take into full account the Gladue principles, and balancing them with the aggravating factors, she said.

There was significant damage to the laundromats, and a number of serial thefts, including stealing meat, which is frequently sold on the black market to get drugs, she said.

Peterson indicated the appropriate sentence range is probably 12 to 20 months.

She suggested the additional three months should be followed by 18 months probation.

"I'm very, very happy to see all the work she's done in custody," the prosecutor said.  "Breaking drug addiction is not easy. It's a horrible affliction."

Sobbing, Jones told the judge she needs help with everything that is going on in her life.

Kwolek said he is impressed with the things she has done while in custody.

"You've shown you accomplished a great deal and have a plan."

An additional 90 days is appropriate, he said. "The Crown has been very fair, considering all the factors."

This further time would permit Jones to participate in treatment at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre in preparation for attending a residential treatment program when she gets out of jail.

Kwolek told Jones she had taken advantage of vulnerable, elderly members of her community, who had trusted her, because of her need for drugs.

He placed her on probation for 20 months with conditions that include no contact with these two people, as well as taking counselling for substance abuse and bereavement issues

As well, she is prohibited from attending eight local businesses, including five supermarkets and the two laundromats.

"I'm hoping you'll get yourself into a residential program," Kwolek said, noting it was a success the last time.

"I think you're going with a proper attitude."

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