Jessie-Marco Rene Reno Pinette pled guilty to arson damaging property and theft under $5,000 for incidents that occurred in Sechelt on July 3. Judge Steven Merrick handed Pinette a sentence of 90 days for the arson charge and six days on the theft charge in provincial court in Sechelt on Oct. 9.
Crown counsel Joe Zondervan outlined that the charges stemmed from the removal of a bottle of vodka from the Lighthouse Liquor Store and the lighting of a fire outside a residence on Ebbtide Street.
“The message needs to be sent not only to Mr. Pinette but to everyone in our communities that if you get frustrated and you set fire to something, especially in July, you are definitely going to jail…that was a very risky offence,” Merrick stated.
Also taken into consideration by the judge was a victim impact statement from the female resident of the home that was targeted.
Subsequent violations
In addition, the accused entered a guilty plea to a second charge of theft under $5,000 and to an assault that both occurred 36 days later. In that incident, Pinette removed merchandise from a retailer in the Trail Bay Mall and subsequently attacked a loss prevention officer who responded to the crime. In imposing a sentence of two days for the second theft and 24 days (consecutive) for the assault,
Merrick stated the latter action was “absolutely unacceptable.”
“If you are apprehended by a loss prevention officer, just as you are with the police, you are not to fight back, it is not fair.”
Sentencing
Time served covered all sentences Pinette had been in custody for 81 days prior to the hearing. With each day in custody prior to sentencing credited at 1.5 days, the judge noted the accused had served the totality of his sentence and pending a check regarding any other outstanding warrants, was to be released later that afternoon.
A two-year probation with conditions restricting Pinette from attending the locations of the crimes and from possessing certain incendiary or explosive devices was also imposed. The victim fine surcharge was waived due to Pinette’s financial circumstances.
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