A Mosquito First Nation man found guilty of defrauding his band of more than $100,000 has been sentenced to three years in a federal penitentiary.
Gerald Bird, who was a trustee for the band, has also been ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the trust.
In arguing for a conditional sentence, Bird’s lawyer Kathy Hodgins-Smith argued the Gladue principle be applied.
However, in rendering his sentence the judge said the fact that Bird was a public official in a position of authority who abused this trust, a message of deterrence needed to be sent.
In September, Bird was convicted of criminal breach of trust for incidents involving TLE monies in 2002.