Photo: Colin Dacre

A former Penticton woman will avoid a criminal record after one year of probation for fraudulently purchasing three used ATVs online worth a total of $24,000.

Jenna Nicole Loree received a conditional discharge Monday in Penticton court, after pleading guilty to three counts of using forged documents stemming from a trio of transactions in 2012.

Court heard that Loree used fake documents such as fraudulent cheques to purchase used ATVs from three victims in Penticton and Kelowna through online marketplaces such as Kijiji in May 2012.

She was arrested while trying to purchase a fourth, from one of her previous victims, and was arrested with a fraudulent cheque in her possession. After being arrested and released on a promise to appear, there was some delay in having charges approved, and Loree moved to Alberta — out of reach of the B.C.-wide warrants.

While working towards becoming an early childhood educator in Alberta, she failed a criminal background check, leading her to hire a lawyer and plead guilty in May 2018.

Defence lawyer Clark Burnett explained that Loree was locked in a mentally abusive relationship and the throes of a heroin addiction at the time of the crimes.

He said Loree’s common-law spouse, who was the father of her then-two-year-old child, “gave her a script” and coached her through the fraudulent transactions.

“Told her exactly what to do and how to do it, and she just blindly followed along,” Burnett said, adding his client was told by her boyfriend that he had a side-business retrofitting and re-selling used ATVs.

“Frankly, she was willfully blind. She assumed that things were sort of OK, and didn’t dig deeper into what was going on,” he said.

Loree dropped off the ATVs at a location after the sale and never knew what happened to them afterwards, and never profited in any way, Burnett said.

All three victims who accepted the fraudulent cheques were never covered by insurance and remain out-of-pocket around $8,000 each.

Loree eventually left the abusive relationship, having to live in a women’s shelter after fleeing the situation. She now resides in Red Deer, Alta. 

The Crown was seeking 4-6 months of house arrest, plus probation.

Judge Michelle Daneliuk instead accepted the defence’s explanation in whole, finding a criminal conviction would be an impediment to Loree’s desire to work in early childhood education.

After 12 months of probation with standard conditions the convictions will be struck from her record. She must also complete 60 hours of community service and write apology letters to the victims. 

Daneliuk also ordered three restitution orders totalling $24,000. Burnett said Loree has voiced a desire to pay restitution but had little means to do so. Daneliuk made the orders due payable on Tuesday, after which the victims will have to pursue Loree civilly for a compensation order.