Woman to pay $700 for selling $10K card collection

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This article was published 06/12/2022 (1375 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — A 26-year-old woman has been ordered to pay $700, after pleading guilty to pawning a stolen Magic: the Gathering card collection.

Starlynn Soulier had been charged with trafficking property obtained by crime.

In addition to the fine — $500 for trafficking stolen property and $200 for failing to attend court — Soulier will spend the next 18 months under supervised probation.

The high-value Magic cards (valued at around $10,500) were reported stolen Nov. 25, 2021, after a vehicle was broken into in Brandon.

After the theft, the victim contacted several local businesses and pawn shops to determine if anyone had attempted to sell the Magic cards, eventually discovering such a transaction had taken place at a Brandon specialty store.

Thanks to store surveillance footage and corroborating testimony from an employee, city police arrested Soulier.

The collection was eventually returned to its original owner.

Soulier told police she was not responsible for taking the items. She claimed she received the collection from a family member in exchange for drugs, and later received payment for helping to sell the items.

On Monday, defence lawyer Jennifer Janssens told a Brandon courtroom her client had no idea the cards were worth more than $10,000, and didn’t receive anywhere near that amount for selling them.

“It’s only based on the extensive research of the owner of the cards that we know how high the value is,” the defence lawyer said.

Janssens said her client’s involvement in the trafficking case, as well as her long history of failing to attend court, can largely be attributed to a methamphetamine addiction.

“To her credit, she’s now taken steps to address that,” Janssens said. “She’s on the wait list for withdrawal support services here in Brandon.”

Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup argued Soulier’s actions warranted three months of house arrest, given the large price tag attached to the stolen Magic cards.

“And when you’re taking the active step of going to a specialized store that has knowledge (of these things), then there’s some sophistication there as well,” Lonstrup said.

Judge Patrick Sullivan ultimately endorsed Janssens’ recommendation for a fine, giving Soulier credit for her early guilty plea.

During the next 18 months of supervised probation, Soulier will be required to stay on good behaviour, the judge said. Sullivan also told Soulier she must take counselling as directed by her probation supervisor.

— Brandon Sun