Conditions imposed on release of former Canning man serving federal sentence for property, identity theft crimes

KENTVILLE, NS - The Parole Board of Canada has imposed several special conditions on the upcoming statutory release of a former Canning man serving a federal sentence for 20 property and identity theft offences.

Stephen Wade Tracey, 31, pleaded guilty to the 20 counts on Jan. 22, 2016. Judge Claudine MacDonald sentenced Tracey to three years in federal custody, less 17 days served on remand. He was fined a total of $3,600, the court granted primary and secondary DNA orders and granted a forfeiture order for offence related property. Another 10 charges were withdrawn.

Tracey was arrested in a vehicle on Almon Street, Halifax, on Jan. 6, 2016. The RCMP had issued a notification the previous day that Tracey was wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant. Police alleged that Tracey had been involved in crimes relating to identity theft and cheque fraud, often with a female accomplice. RCMP had previously stated that Tracey led a transient lifestyle with no fixed address, often travelling between Alberta and Nova Scotia. Tracey is a former resident of Pine Lake, Alberta.

The parole board imposed the special conditions on Tracey’s release at a hearing on July 4. They are valid until the end of his sentence. In the context of a statutory release, the board is limited to the imposition of special conditions it considers reasonable and necessary to protect society and facilitate successful reintegration into society.

To determine conditions, the board takes into consideration information on file, risk factors that could lead to reoffending and any representations made by the offender.

According to a written decision from the parole board, most of Tracey’s offences were committed for the purpose of financial gain to support substance and gambling addictions.

Tracey has a history of negative institutional behaviour including forgery, testing positive on urinalysis tests, refusing urinalysis testing and refusing to leave segregation. File information indicates that Tracey continued to engage in negative associations in the institution “by incurring a significant drug debt from members of a security threat group.”

The written decision states that attitude, negative associates and substance abuse have been contributing factors to Tracey’s crime cycle and all are deemed to be in high need of improvement.

Tracey’s offences

Among the charges Tracey pleaded guilty to included two counts of breaking and entering a residence with the intent of committing an indictable offence therein. These offences were committed in Kentville in May and June, 2007.

Tracey pleaded guilty to 18 charges relating to offences he committed in Curry’s Corner, Vaughan and Windsor between Nov. 30 and Dec. 31, 2015.

These included unlawful possession of a woman’s birth certificate and social insurance number; two counts of unlawful possession of Canadian passports; unlawful possession of a funeral home’s commercial cheque book; unlawful possession of a woman’s Saskatchewan drivers licence and identification and unlawful possession of a woman’s Alberta drivers licence.

Others included defrauding Eastlink of less than $5,000; unlawful possession of a woman’s Canada pension cheque, unlawful possession of a couple’s Visa credit cards, possession of stolen furniture, possession of four stolen tires, unlawful possession of a woman’s cheque book and possession of a stolen suspension lift kit for a 2013 Dodge truck.

Tracey pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen cheque; unlawful possession of a Windsor and District Lions Club cheque and trafficking a stolen Skidoo.

He was charged with using a forged cheque for $800 as if it were genuine and defrauding the Royal Bank of $4,800 by depositing a fraudulent cheque but pleaded guilty to the lesser, included offences of attempting to do so or being an accessory after the fact.

Special conditions imposed on statutory release

• Tracey is not to consume, purchase or possess alcohol.
• Tracey is not to consume, purchase or possess drugs other than prescribed medication taken as prescribed and over the counter drugs taken as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Tracey is to provide documented income, banking and financial transaction information to the satisfaction of his parole supervisor at a schedule to be determined by his parole supervisor.
• Tracey is not to possess any banking document, including credit cards, debit cards or cheques, without the prior written permission of his parole supervisor.
• Tracey is not to gamble or enter any establishment where the primary source of income is derived from gambling.
• Tracey is to respect a curfew to be designated by his parole supervisor except for work related reasons and with his parole supervisor’s prior written approval.
• Tracey is to immediately report all intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships and friendships with females to his parole supervisor.
• Tracey is not to associate with any person he knows or has reason to believe is involved in criminal activity.