The former assistant manager of concessions at the Sudbury Arena was given a six-month conditional sentence and ordered to repay the $9,300 he admitted stealing from the arena.
Ron Joncas, 29, who has never been in trouble with the law before, pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000.
On Friday, Justice John Poupore of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice agreed to a joint submission that Joncas be given a conditional sentence to be served in the community. Joncas will have to adhere to a nightly curfew during his sentence and he?s agreed to repay the missing money before his conditional sentence expires.
Court heard that between November of 2000 and November of 2001, Joncas was in charge of handling the money made from the various concession
stands at the Sudbury Arena.
Greater Sudbury Police were called in to conduct an investigation after city officials discovered metal washers were being used in place of $2 coins from arena concession revenues being deposited into the bank. Real $2 coins were placed at the end of each roll, with washers placed in between.
Joncas, who had worked with the city since being hired as a teenager, had his contract with the city terminated for other reasons, before this matter came to court.
At Friday?s sentencing hearing, defence counsel Glenn Sandberg said Joncas is a solid citizen who made a bad decision and these acts were out of
character.
Joncas has been married for seven years and comes from a loving and supportive family. He now has a new full-time job where his employer allows
him to handle money, even knowing all of the facts relating to this case, said Sandberg.
Joncas will pay restitution of more than $1,300 a month to repay the money back to the city as quickly as possible, he said.
Assistant Crown attorney Len Walker said the facts of this case indicate Joncas got involved simply out of greed and opportunity.
However, the plea of guilt saves the prosecution from a lengthy and costly trial and since this accused isn?t likely to re-offend, a conditional sentence is appropriate, said Walker.
Victim impact statements from other Sudbury Arena employees indicate Joncas was a very popular boss and many of the employees were shocked and saddened once charges were laid, said Walker.
