Shawn Seymour embarked on a five-month crime spree last year to fuel his drug addiction.
During that time, the then-19-year-old was repeatedly charged with many offences, including break and enter, assault with a weapon, possession of fentanyl, theft and assault.
On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to 18 charges stemming from incidents that occurred in Sault Ste. Marie, Batchewana First Nation and Thessalon between May and September 2021.
Eleven of the offences involved breaches of release and court orders.
A number of these violations involved his failure to stay away from a woman with whom he was required to have no contact nor communication.
Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn heard Seymour broke into a McNabb Street residence on June 10.
City police were called to an address in the 400 block at 10 p.m., prosecutor David Didiodato said.
The homeowner reported that a man, who was known to him, had entered through a bedroom window and made off with two grams of marijuana.
He also indicated that his dog was missing, the assistant Crown attorney told the court.
Officers located Seymour, along with the purloined pooch and pot, about an hour later.
On June 15, police responded to a Trunk Road business and spoke to staff about a man who had been refused entrance to the store because he was not wearing a mask.
He left, but then stole a mask and some change from an employee's vehicle.
At 7 a.m. on July 2, police received a call about a driver, whose vehicle had been rear-ended by a white pickup truck
The truck, which drove off, was located at the back of a property in Batchewana First Nation.
Seymour was arrested for possession of stolen property, and threatened to kill an officer when he was being lodged in a cell at the station.
His next brush with the law took place at about 3 p.m. on Sept. 2 at a Food Basics store.
A driver who was delivering bread to the supermarket spotted a man stealing items from the back of his truck.
When he approached the man, Seymour pulled out a knife, indicating he would not return the bread, and then took off on a bicycle, Didiodato said.
Not long after, police responded to a complaint on Albion Street about a man brandishing a knife after another person had asked him to leave his property.
Seymour had a knife and a large quantity of bread when he was arrested at 3:40 p.m., the Crown said.
He also had a small amount of fentanyl.
The Crown and defence lawyer Jessica Belisle jointly recommended the accused be sentenced to time served, plus a further 30 days behind bars, followed by two years probation.
Didiodato noted the accused had never been to jail prior to "this string of criminality" which had resulted in him being detained in custody.
He described Seymour's limited criminal record as an aggravating factor, but indicated the guilty pleas were mitigating.
Belisle said her client, a member of Serpent River First Nation, was waiving a Gladue report, a factor that was taken into account in the joint position.
There is significant trauma in his background, she told the court, indicating Seymour "is remorseful."
During his time in pre-sentence custody at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre, he has addressed his issues, taking numerous programs, including substance abuse, anger management and problem solving, the defence said.
The "motivation for these crimes" was drug addiction, including fentanyl, which is a problem in this community, Belisle said.
When she imposed sentence, Dunn noted drugs had fuelled his crime spree, and Seymour had been found with fentanyl, a highly addictive and dangerous substance.
The judge also noted that he has been active in taking steps to deal with his issues.
Seymour, who has spent 356 days in custody, was given a credit of 1.5 days for each day, which translates to 534 days behind bars.
After he serves the 30 further days, he will be on probation for two years, with conditions that include no contact with the victims of his crimes.
He must also take any recommended counselling, including programs for substance abuse and domestic violence.