RCMP Watch

Jana G. Pruden - Regina Leader-Post

Marlowe K. Lang will never be able to give back the $187,000 he stole from his former employer, but his crime will temporarily cost him his freedom.

The 42-year-old was sentenced Friday to six months in jail for defrauding the canteen at Regina’s RCMP Academy of at least $187,000, pilfered in smaller transactions over a period of about 21/2 years.

Lang’s lawyer had been hoping to see him serve his time in the community, but Provincial Court Judge Linton Smith said the crime warranted a term of incarceration in a correctional centre.

Lang, a slight, unassuming man, didn’t have any visible reaction to the sentence. He was taken into custody at the courthouse a short time later.
Lang pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000 in September.

During sentencing arguments earlier this month, Crown prosecutor Greg Fellinger told court Lang had worked at the non-profit RCMP canteen for 19 years when a manager noticed an odd $465 transaction, which seemed unusually high for canteen items.

A further review of the canteen’s finances turned up more questionable transactions — many of which took place when the canteen was closed, and all of which occurred when Lang was at work.

A full forensic audit uncovered a total of 721 irregular sales involving a system of false sales and returns, some crediting money to Lang’s debit or credit cards.

Lang’s lawyer, James Rybchuk, told court at the time that most of the money went “very quickly to one VLT or another.”

On Friday, Smith said he took Lang’s gambling addiction into account, as well as the consequences he has already suffered, including problems with his marriage, public embarrassment and financial hardship.

But Smith said he also considered that the crimes took place over a significant period of time, required ongoing premeditation and involved a large sum of money.

He said it’s important others who are tempted to commit similar crimes know they could face jail time.

After Lang is released from jail, he will face two years of probation, and will have to pay back the stolen amount over the course of his life in $20 monthly instalments.

At that rate, it would take 781 years to repay the debt.