14 months for crime spree

Photo: Crimestoppers

A Kelowna woman has been sentenced to 425 days behind bars for a litany of offences spanning B.C.’s Southern Interior.

Bree-Anne Buhler was sentenced Monday in Penticton court after entering guilty pleas to 13 counts including; break and enter, possession of a controlled substance, theft under $5,000 and breach of undertaking.

The court heard Buhler participated in a trio of break and enters at two businesses and a home in the tiny Highway 5 community of Avola, north of Clearwater, over two days between Jan. 17 -18, 2016.

Buhler was caught on surveillance camera burglarizing a gas station, stealing $6,000 worth of property with two other prolific offenders; Waylon Faulhafer and William Gaddy. The trio also broke into a logging business, taking fuel cards, and stole $8,000 worth of things from a home.

The three were arrested in Edson, Alberta a little over a month later on charges there. At the time, the Penticton RCMP said the arrests would contribute to a reduction in crime throughout the South Okanagan.

Buhler was eventually transferred into custody of the B.C. Sheriff Service in April of this year.

The accused also entered guilty pleas on several older outstanding charges, including a shoplifting incident in Scotch Creek, where Buhler stole a bottle of vodka from the local SuperValu in Nov. 2015.

In March 2015, she was caught with a vial of GHB (the date rape drug), two meth pipes and 17 tablets of diazepam during a traffic stop in Oliver near the hospital.

In April 2015, she was caught with ID documents that were not related to her following a motor vehicle crash. She also pleaded guilty to several breaches, related to missing curfew, failure to appear and being in a vehicle while prohibited. 

The provincial crown requested a 15 month sentence for all charges, with the exception of the drug possession incident, for which the federal prosecutor suggested 14 days.

Defence lawyer James Pennington asked for a similar sentence, arguing she should be released in seven to eight months, taking into account the six months worth of time served credit.

“She is looking to put all this behind her,” he said, noting Buhler has prospects of employment in the Creston area, removing her from her toxic friends.

Judge Gail Sinclair noted that Buhler’s prior record “wasn’t really that bad,” consisting mostly of breaches.

Buhler remained silent throughout the sentencing, weeping occasionally, while appearing via video from the Alouette Correctional Centre.

With credit for time already served, she has 245 days left on her sentence.