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By Jack Wilson - Red Deer Advocate
Published: October 02, 2008 7:18 AM
The former operator of a property management firm will be sentenced just before Christmas after pleading guilty on Wednesday to stealing tens of thousands of dollars from clients.
Ted Randall Stinson, 49, of Red Deer pleaded guilty to 16 theft charges including 10 counts of theft of more than $5,000 and six counts of theft of less than $5,000.
Stinson didn’t utter a word as his lawyer Glyn Walters entered the pleas in Red Deer provincial court.
The pleas follow several weeks of negotiations between the Crown and Walters.
No details were provided but they will be described during a sentence hearing set for Dec. 16.
Walters was granted permission for a pre-sentence report during which a probation officer will examine several aspects of Stinson’s life. Stinson is not in custody.
The charges were laid in early April following a lengthy investigation by Red Deer RCMP.
Stinson stole the money from clients in 2006 and 2007.
It’s believed the amount is tens of thousands of dollars, said elected representatives of two Red Deer condominium complexes this spring.
One representative said Stinson stole about $65,000 in total from two funds they were operating.
Complaints about missing money last year resulted in Stinson’s hasty departure from the Real Estate Council of Alberta, which accepted his resignation.
The resignation allowed him to escape a hearing and possible disciplinary action by the council.
He was slapped with a voluntary lifetime ban from that group.
Stinson’s company, Corner Stone Management and Real Estate Services, kept security deposits in a trust account.
The allegation of an account shortage prompted an examination by Service Alberta.
Corner Stone closed its doors shortly before Stinson’s real estate licence was suspended on Feb. 6, 2007.
Some tenants in property managed by Corner Stone claimed they weren’t being refunded damage deposits.
Elected representatives for two Red Deer condominiums said earlier that their associations were missing tens of thousands of dollars.
The associations are located in the two Imperial Place Buildings near the city centre.
The chairman of one association said earlier the condo boards from both buildings had to scramble to cover arrears and penalties on their utility accounts.
Contact Jack Wilson at
jwilson@reddeeradvocate.com
