Three month sentence for woman guilty of robbery and threats

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on March 3, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A former southern Alberta woman who robbed and threatened to kill a man nearly two years ago has learned her lesson and will likely never again commit a criminal offence, a judge said Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court.
However, Judge Jerry LeGrandeur still handed Chelsey Marie Beringer a jail sentence, but only for three months instead of 12 months recommended by the Crown. LeGrandeur was also prepared to allow Beringer, who is pregnant with her second child, to serve her sentence intermittently on weekends, but she chose to serve straight time.
During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, LeGrandeur noted Beringer, 23, did not have a previous criminal record. She also co-operated with police after her arrest, pleaded guilty, and took it upon herself to receive counselling and treatment for her drug addiction.
“She has rehabilitated herself, changed her life, addressed her addictions, restarted her family and committed herself to raising her daughter in conjunction with her husband, and living her life as a good member of society,” LeGrandeur said.
Beringer pleaded guilty last June to charges of armed robbery and uttering threats, stemming from a violent incident on May 7, 2020.
Beringer called an acquaintance and asked him to meet her in Coaldale, and at about 11 p.m. the man pulled into the parking lot of Tim Horton’s in Coaldale and Beringer got into his car. As he drove away, Beringer told him to stop, and a man wearing a hospital mask and carrying a kitchen knife walked up to the car and climbed into the back seat. He held the knife to the driver’s neck, and Beringer demanded money. The masked man – Beringer’s boyfriend at the time – repeated the demand and threatened to cut the victim.
The three went to a bank where the victim withdrew $200 from the ATM, and the masked assailant handed it to Beringer before they returned to Tim Hortons. Beringer kicked the victim, stole his cellphone and threatened to kill him if he called the police. Her boyfriend also threatened to kill him.
Lethbridge lawyer Darcy Shurtz pointed out during a previous court hearing, that Beringer had a troubled childhood and later was involved in a number of abusive relationships, which led to alcohol and drug addictions, and ultimately the robbery. Since the incident she has moved to Saskatchewan and away from bad influences, completed an addictions treatment program, and has changed her life.
In addition to her jail sentence, Beringer was placed on probation for 12 months, during which she must, in addition to other conditions, continue counselling and treatment for substance abuse if directed by her probation officer. She is prohibited from possessing certain weapons for 10 years, and other weapons for life, and she must submit a sample of her DNA for the National DNA Databank.

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