BY KEITH LACEY
A 20-year-old drug addict who went on a brazen five-month crime spree, including two armed robberies, was sentenced last week to 42 months in a federal penitentiary.
Matthew White, 20, pleaded guilty to being involved in two robberies and breaking and entering two different homes betwene February and June of this year. He also led police on a high-speed chase and breached numerous court orders.
Court heard White was caught after his parents turned him in after watching a local news report and identifying their son as being involved in an armed robbery because of some of the clothing he was wearing.
White appeared relieved to have been caught and said serving this sentence will hopefully allow him to beat his addiction to hard drugs and alcohol.
The three-and-a-half year penitentiary term is on top of almost three months White has already spent in custody at the Sudbury district jail.
?Over the past two-and-a-half months, I've had plenty of time to think about what I've done and my future,? he said. ?Drugs have been responsible for a good portion of what I've done...I've dug my own grave this time and I just hope I will be able to get myself out of it.?
White said he takes full responsibility for his crimes and he wants to and will access drug and alcohol programs in the penitentiary system and try his best to turn his life around.
Defence counsel Andrew Buttazzoni said White's parents have been fully supportive and struggled with the decision to turn their son in after seeing the video.
Other parents might have opted for a different route, but they chose to do the right thing and their son ?holds no ill will? towards his parents and realizes they want him to access help and try and beat his addiction and become a contributing member of society, said Buttazzoni.
Assistant Crown attorney Guy Roy said White's serious crime spree are a clear indication of ?once again seeing what drugs will do.?
White pleaded guilty to walking into a convenience store on Feb. 1 and stealing $50 and several cartons of cigarettes. Four days later, he and an accomplice, with their faces covered, walked into a gas bar, and while armed with knives, demanded money and cigarettes. They left with around $200 and 10 cartons of cigarettes.
A video of the gas bar robbery was shown on local television.
In late March, White pleaded guilty to leading police on a brief high-speed chase through downtown Sudbury. The owner of the vehicle told police someone had broken into his home and stole his car keys. Police found a passport of White's and several bottles of alcohol stolen from the residence.
On June 12, White admitted to breaking into another home and stealing a $2,000 set of golf clubs and a mountain bike. Police recovered a fingerprint from a bottle of booze and matched it to White.
Court heard White started drinking alcohol and experimenting with soft drugs at age 12 and advanced quickly to harder drugs while still a young teenager.
He had accumulated a long record before this crime spree took place.
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