Sylvia Joseph (right) speaks with her lawyer after court. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski.
Prosecution is seeking jail time for a woman who helped offenders on Big River First Nation trick the system.
Earlier this year, Sylvia Joseph entered eight guilty pleas for performing fraud — this related to charges that she took money in exchange for signing off on unperformed community service hours while she worked with the Fine Options Program, which is run through the band. The 49-year-old woman initially faced more than 100 charges of forgery, defrauding the government, falsifying books and documents, and using a forged document after the RCMP started investigating a complaint against Joseph in mid-2013.
While Joseph was set to be sentenced at Big River First Nation (also known as Whitefish) court on Tuesday, she arrived more than three hours late due to what court heard was a doctor’s appointment in Saskatoon. This appointment comes in advance of a serious surgery Joseph will be undergoing in September.
Regardless of the rationale for Joseph’s delay, Judge Harradence expressed frustration with delaying sentencing until October.
“I’m a little bit disappointed we haven’t dealt with this today,” Harradence said, adding that the nature of Joseph’s crimes make it important she arrives on time so that anyone interested in the case can be present. On Tuesday, only court workers and MBC were still present by the time Joseph arrived.
“I need to complete this job and the public needs to see me completing this job,” he told Joseph.
He said the Crown is asking for a jail sentence of three to nine months, and “jail is something I’ve got to consider.”
Outside court, Joseph’s lawyer said she will be seeking a non-custodial sentence.
Prosecutor Cindy Alexander told MBC “the Crown is anxious to have this sentencing concluded” and said it’s “unfortunate” there were delays on Tuesday.
“The offences are serious in part because the community put its trust in this accused and she held a position of trust in the community,” Alexander said.
Harradence has put up strict conditions that Joseph show up on time for her October sentencing, saying the only way she cannot be present is if she has a doctor’s letter sent to court.
The agreed statements facts of the case have yet to be read out in court, and sentencing arguments are also on hold until the matter returns to court on Oct. 12.
Members of the community say the fine options program was unavailable for a period of time after Joseph was suspended during the July 2013 investigation, meaning people had no option but to pay any fines they had incurred.