James van Damme was released from jail Monday after spending 60 days behind bars for threatening police officers from the St. Albert RCMP detachment.
The former city council candidate appeared in St. Albert Provincial Court via closed-circuit television from the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre where he pleaded guilty to two counts of uttering threats and two breaches of a protection order.
Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor told the court van Damme was arrested Oct. 14 after a series of comments, representing a threat to RCMP, were posted to Facebook.
The first post, as shared on the public Facebook wall for “Jimmy VanDamme” went up Oct. 12 and included a picture of an RCMP officer.
"U guys are done. See that sun. That white glare is your existence St. Albert RCMP. Come to joeys. I'm waiting for u," the post read.
Over the next few days, a handful of other threatening comments were posted by van Damme.
"RIP to the St. Albert RCMP," one said.
"Officer Travis may u rest in that box with the Hells Angels. Come 500 feet of me … All Is well. See u a joyes," van Damme wrote.
He posted a comment on this post, reading, "Sorry for those that don't know. Officer Travis Collins of the St. Albert RCMP is dead."
Another post detailed how van Damme believed he was working for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Taylor read a handful of these posts to the court.
He said Const. Travis Collins, the officer threatened in a number of these posts, arrested van Damme in April 2012 and admitted him into the mental health ward at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, where he was diagnosed with delusional disorder.
Following this arrest, his ex-wife obtained an emergency protection order, prohibiting him from contacting her or their daughter unless through legal counsel.
On Oct. 11, van Damme breached this order by sending his ex-wife various messages, similar to those posted on Facebook.
Between Nov. 5 to 15, he again violated the order, calling his ex-wife 18 times, leaving 11 voicemails and sending e-mails and text messages.
“His focus, right now, is to get better,” said lawyer Christopher Taskey, who was acting as an agent for van Damme’s lawyer Laurie Wood.
Van Damme was sentenced to 60 days in jail, but was given credit for time served in pre-sentence custody. He was also handed an 18-month probation term and a 10-year weapons prohibition. He is not allowed within 300 metres of his wife or daughter or their known residences or locations, such as work or school.
Van Damme ran for city council in the 2010 municipal election, placing 10th in a field of 13 candidates.
