Pirate gets jail

OTTAWA (Sun Media) - Ar-r-rgh! A not-so-salty robbery on the St. Lawrence River in which the victims were told to walk the plank has resulted in one Akwesasne-area man getting 218 days jail and three years of probation.

Loran Lazore, 34, of St. Regis, Que., pleaded guilty to robbery and dangerous operation of a motor boat and was sentenced yesterday by Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Smith.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Lazore and another man who was masked ran a grey Patriot Stealth outboard vessel into a small fishing vessel carrying Steven Dionne and Tanya Myre on the river near the village of Summerstown in the township of South Glengarry.

Lazore's cohort told the pair: "We're taking this boat, you guys better jump or we'll kill you."

But the would-be pirates relented when they heard Myre couldn't swim. In the end, their booty amounted to $10 and some coupons.

"We don't need your f---ing coupons," said the masked man before throwing the sheaf of vouchers in the drink.

The pair of river raiders then began circling the smaller vessel and pulled up beside it once more before motoring west toward Cornwall.

Police later saw the same boat at D.J.'s Marina in Cornwall after getting a description of alphanumeric markings on the boat. The man operating the vessel also matched Dionne and Myre's description of Lazore.

Because of jursidictional complications, he wasn't arrested, but Akwesasne Mowhawk Police identified him. He was also later identified in a photo lineup at the OPP's Long Sault detachment by Dionne and was later arrested.

Smith, who accepted a joint sentencing position of a suspended sentence and three years' probation in addition to the pre-trial custody, ordered Lazore not to possess any firearms for 10 years and to submit a DNA sample for cataloguing.

He also was ordered to attend any alcohol treatment program recommended by his probation officer and to seek and maintain employment.

"I'm sorry for what I've done. I have a problem with alcohol and I'd like to get some help for myself," Lazore told Smith.

His lawyer, Mark Ertel, said after the hearing that his client had really learned a lesson. "He's lost a lot of weight, he's sober and he's looking forward to maintaining his sobriety in the community," said Ertel.