A man addicted to crack-cocaine has been sentenced to six months in jail after he attempted to scam a Jasper resident out of $300.

Dominic Berardi from Edmonton was sentenced at Jasper Provincial Court on May 27, but he had actually pleaded guilty to his crime several weeks earlier.

Complications prevented Berardi, a man Judge Don Norheim called a “professional fraudster,” from being sentenced on that date, May 12.

On May 27, however, Berardi admitted that on March 17, 2010, he drove to Jasper from Edmonton with a plan to commit fraud. He parked his car, walked up to a home in the centre of town, and knocked on the front door. Berardi told the man who answered that he lived across the street and was in the process of moving and had a 50 inch Sony television that he no longer needed. Berardi asked the man if he wanted to buy it for $300.

The man said yes and went to an ATM machine to get the money, before even seeing the television. After Berardi got the $300 from the man, he said he would be back soon with the television. He never returned.

While Berardi also pleaded guilty to fraud on May 12, he disagreed about some of the facts of the case. He said there had been a television, but it wasn’t 50 inches. It was 32 inches. 

Judge Norheim wasn’t convinced Berardi ever had a television (according to Berardi’s counsel in court, Traci Overacker, Berardi admits his criminal record is “atrocious.”) and ordered him back into custody 

He told Berardi when he was ready to really plead guilty, he could return to do so in two weeks.

“The facts are that you promised a 50 inch Sony T.V. and then vamoosed,” said the Judge.

Berardi told the court he had been under the influence of drugs when he appeared in court earlier. It had impaired his judgement.

“I came in all high under medication,” said Berardi. “For the last 17 years, my crack addiction has just been out of control.”

He admitted there really was no television.

He told the court he was extremely sorry for his crimes and he was in the process of getting therapy and treatment for his addiction.

“I need to get control of this, otherwise I’m going to spend the rest of my life in jail and I don’t want that,” said Berardi.

Judge Norheim wasn’t convinced Berardi was fully repentant.

“You’ve already tried to con the court in the last two weeks,” said Judge Norheim. “You’ve shown a distinct lack of actual remorse.” 

Berardi’s victim suffers from chronic back pain and had to wait for several hours at the courthouse. The man, in obvious pain, had to stand in the courtroom while everyone else sat down.

Six months was the maximum time that Berardi could be sentenced to jail. Overacker asked for a sentence to be lowered to four or five months as Berardi was attempting to get into a drug addiction treatment program.

“I encourage you to get treatment, but do so when you’re out of jail,” said the Judge.

Berardi also pleaded guilty to a $264 dollar speeding ticket that he incurred in Jasper. He was caught doing 110 k/ph in a 70 zone. He has until December 1 to pay the fine.