A former Prince George resident was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest for his role in a January 2011 home invasion.
Jeffrey Austin Theriault, 20, was issued the term Wednesday after the court heard he has a limited criminal record and has distanced himself from his former friends.
Theriault was arrested on the night of Jan. 16, 2011 when he and another man came to the door of a home in the 2800 block of Pine Street in search of a man allegedly involved in the drug world. The two women who were living in the home refused to let them in and the two started banging on the door and jiggling the handle before eventually gaining entry. The man, meanwhile, escaped out a back window and called police.
Theriault was carrying a pipe and a machete and his partner, who to this date has not been identified, was wearing a balaclava and carrying a claw hammer, the court was told. When Theriault threatened the two women, they told him where the man was.
Police arrived shortly afterwards and Theriault was found hiding in some bushes while his partner had escaped.
At the time of his arrest, police described Theriault as a member of the Game Tight Soldiers street gang and it appeared the incident was "probably some type of enforcement action," the court was told Wednesday.
Although there was some difficulty serving the man Theriault was seeking with a subpeona to be a witness at a trial, Theriault pleaded guilty in March to all five charges he had faced. Moreover, according to the probation officer who prepared a pre-sentence report, Theriault has potential to be a productive member of society if he finds a better group of friends.
He has since taken steps in that direction, according to defence lawyer Ben Levine who said Theriault has accepted responsibility for his actions, has now lived in the B.C. Peace for about a year and plans to attend trade school to become a welder.
Theriault received the maximum term allowed for house arrest - known in the courts as a conditional sentence - and was warned by provincial court Judge Michael Brecknell that the maximum term for break and enter is life in prison.
When asked if he had anything to say, Theriault apologized for his actions.
Theriault was ordered to live in an approved home and will be subject to a curfew of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day except for purposes of work, school and medical emergencies. He was also ordered to have no contact with the three who lived in the home.
