CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. woman who committed a string of crimes over a span of six months was sentenced recently to seven months in jail.
Jenna Marie Smith, 24, appeared before Judge John Douglas in provincial court in Charlottetown where she was sentenced on 12 charges, including multiple counts of using stolen credit or debit cards.
She was also sentenced for assault, being unlawfully in a dwelling, theft, failing to attend court twice, breaching her probation and breaching an undertaking.
Smith’s first offence involved an assault at a residence in Oyster Bed Bridge along with a co-accused in July 2018.
Less than a month later the police arrested her after a report of a break-in at an apartment where they found Smith laying in bed.
Smith’s mother was the tenant and told police she didn’t give her daughter permission to be there.
Over the next several months, Smith used multiple credit and debit cards that were reported stolen from vehicles.
In total, Smith spent more than $1,200 using the cards at multiple locations that included McDonald’s, Sobeys Express, Irving and Superstore.
Smith also stole more than $100 worth of clothing from Giant Tiger and missed two court appearances.
Defence lawyer Thane MacEachern told the court Smith was essentially homeless and was using drugs at the time, including opiates and speed.
MacEachern said Smith recently started using Suboxone to treat her addiction.
With credit for time spent in custody since her arrest, Smith was left with two months still to serve on her sentence.
Along with the jail time, Smith will be on probation for 18 months.
Smith must perform 40 hours of community service unless her probation officer reduces that amount if she is unable to complete them because she is working or in treatment.
She must also pay a total of more than $1,200 in restitution.
