Fort Smith (Oct 06/03) - Two people have been sentenced for their roles in a $100,000 theft in Fort Smith three years ago, but neither will be going to jail.

Curtis Martin, 26, and Destiny Lepine, 23, appeared in Supreme Court in Yellowknife on Sept. 22.

Martin had previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft over $5,000, while Lepine pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property.

The theft involved money destined for the Bank of Montreal in Fort Smith. The cash was sent through Canada Post on an airline flight.

Martin was a driver for a delivery company which handled the packages. On two occasions, in June and November of 2000, he stole the packages of money headed for the bank -- $50,000 each time.

Martin was sentenced to an 18-month conditional sentence of house arrest.

He will only be able to leave for work or to attend school, and other essential reasons.

He must also pay $68,000 in restitution to the Bank of Montreal.

He was ordered to pay $7,000 to the bank before the end of September, and $1,200 a month for the next 18 months.

The Fort Smith RCMP have recovered more than $20,000 worth of property purchased with the stolen money, including a vehicle and electronic equipment.

Crown counsel Shannon Smallwood explains the sale of those goods will be credited towards Martin's restitution order.

Lepine was sentenced to 12 months probation and 120 hours of community service.

The sentences were handed down by Justice Virgina Schuler.

Smallwood says the Crown had sought a sentence in the range of two years imprisonment for Martin, plus restitution, and a suspended sentence and probation for Lepine.

The Crown counsel says the sentence Martin actually received is not unusual. "A conditional sentence is considered a form of imprisonment."

The charges were laid in December 2002, following a two-year police investigation.