The former owner of St. Albert's now-defunct pawnshop pleaded guilty Monday to failing to pay back more than $28,000 to defrauded customers.
Kenneth Angus Campbell, 58, was set to stand trial in St. Albert Provincial Court, but instead entered guilty pleas to half of the charges before the court.
Campbell will be sentenced March 11 and could face time behind bars.
"I indicated to Mr. Campbell at the time (restitution was ordered) I would be seeking a custodial sentence (if he didn't repay)," said Crown prosecutor Scott Pittman. "I am seeking a custodial sentence."
Campbell pleaded guilty to one charge of theft under $5,000, three breaches of probation and one charge of failing to comply with release conditions.
Pittman withdrew an additional charge of breaching probation and three charges for failing to comply with probation.
Campbell was the owner of St. Albert's sole pawnshop – St. Albert Loans and Exchange – and has had many run-ins with the law as a result of his business.
His first breach of probation charge stems from the failure to repay $23,500 in restitution to a man living in the United States. Despite an October 2009 order to make payments to the man every four months, Campbell hasn't given the man a single cent.
He also failed to attend court for a review of his payments, which prompted the second charge for breaching probation.
In January 2009, Campbell served a six-month jail sentence followed by a year of probation for fraud and breaching probation charges dating back more than two years.
Four people told police they purchased items from Campbell's online auction site, yourauctionsale.com, between 2005 and 2006 but did not receive the items they paid for. These items included iPods and tools, with a total value pegged at $4,577.93.
Campbell was ordered to pay this amount back to the victims within his year of probation, but has not made a single payment to date.
His final breach of probation charge results from Campbell failing to report to his probation officer for a one-month period starting September 2011.
Police raided Campbell's pawnshop in 2004 and found several stolen items for sale. Campbell allegedly accepted the stolen merchandise and willingly attempted to sell it in his store. It is illegal to sell stolen merchandise.
He was handed a conditional discharge for this offence with the primary condition to not operate a business within St. Albert city limits for a period of two years.
At the time, he was operating the online auction site and was using a local warehouse to store the merchandise. He was permitted to continue using this space only if he was unable to get out of his lease.
In 2002, police seized 41 rifles and shotguns from the store. Campbell was arrested and charged with trafficking weapons, illegal transfer of firearms, careless storage of firearms and unlawful possession of firearms.
Firearms pawned at St. Albert Loans and Exchange were held for 30 days, then put up for sale over the Internet. The confiscated firearms were pawned illegally.
He pleaded guilty to careless storage of firearms and unlawful possession of firearms and was fined $4,000 and handed a five-year prohibition for selling and possessing firearms.
Theft
Campbell pleaded guilty Monday to theft under $5,000 for stealing items from the Save On Foods pharmacy.
On April 20, 2012, loss prevention officers at the grocery store saw Campbell select a few items, valued at $25.55, and leave the store without paying.
This was the second theft under $5,000 offence in as many years.
In November 2010, Campbell received a 20-day jail sentence for stealing $19 worth of goods from the St. Albert Walmart.
In March 2010, Campbell was charged with robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public in connection with a brutal attack on an Edmonton pawnshop owner.
David Woolfson, owner of A1 Trading at 9434 111 Ave., was found on the floor by three of his customers March 1, 2010 after he was attacked with a hatchet.
Woolfson, 75, had to have his ear reattached by doctors and was left temporarily blind from the attack. An undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry were stolen from the shop.
Campbell is set to address this matter in Edmonton in March.
