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SARNIA – Brendon Bolduc started crying while standing in the Sarnia courtroom’s prisoner’s box. But in a rare case, they were tears of joy.
Justice of the peace Helen Gale was in the middle of giving her decision on whether he’d be getting bail when federal prosecutor Brian Higgins interrupted with some late-breaking news.
“I received analysis about 15 minutes ago and I confirmed with the police that it did relate to the 52 grams that were seized – it was baking soda, so that charge can be marked withdrawn,” he told Gale in court last week. “I’m sorry I barged in, but I did just receive the analysis.”
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Bolduc, 37, from Warwick Township, faced seven charges linked to his recent arrest by Lambton OPP after cash boxes were stolen from the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Watford. But the one that carried the most serious consequences was a single count of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
He’s no longer facing that count.
“He’s quite emotional now,” Gale noted. “I don’t know if there’s an overwhelming sense of relief.”
Bolduc’s lawyer, Terry Brandon, confirmed it was, recalling they had discussions about how he was facing serious prison time for a drug he said wasn’t his and that he didn’t use.
“He got charged with it and now it’s not what it was thought to be,” Brandon said. “You are seeing the emotional response, that he’s really thankful.”
Despite the trafficking charge being dropped, Bolduc, with ties to Watford, Petrolia, Glencoe and Sarnia, faces charges of break and enter with intent, breaching an undertaking, and two counts each of possessing stolen property worth more than $5,000 and mischief worth less than $5,000.
Lambton OPP previously said an intruder kicked in a window at the Legion branch in Watford about 9:30 a.m. on April 13 and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
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