A woman who pleaded guilty to defrauding Regina Mobile Crisis Services has been sentenced to two years in prison.
Arlene Marie Irving, 64, appeared in person at Regina Provincial Court on Wednesday where Judge D. J. Kovatch delivered the sentence.
Irving, who worked in financial administration at Regina Mobile Crisis Services, was found to have claimed substantial hours of overtime to which she was not entitled.
At one point, she claimed 31 days of overtime for at least eight hours a day and claimed overtime on Sept. 31, a day that does not exist.
In January of 2022, she was charged with theft over $5,000 and fraud over $5,000 after the organization called for an investigation into “financial irregularities” in July of 2021.
Irving was fired as a result of the investigation and pleaded guilty to both counts in October of 2024.
During sentencing submissions in November, the Crown sought a three-year prison sentence plus restitution, calling the ordeal ‘a very sophisticated deception.’ The Crown also requested that Irving not be allowed to work in a position of financial trust in the future.
The defence argued that since Irving experienced a difficult childhood, resulting in PTSD and addiction, she should not be sentenced to prison as she should not be considered a danger to society.
The defence instead called for a conditional sentence, which means she would serve her sentence outside of jail, under strict conditions.
During sentencing on Wednesday, Kovatch said while he accepts the defence’s argument that Irving’s actions related to her difficult upbringing, he found that a prison sentence was still necessary.
“The impact on the organization as a whole and employees and the people served by the organization were dramatic and profound,” he wrote in his decision.
While the Crown requested a sentence of three years, Kovatch said Irving’s age and health were a factor in determining a lesser sentence of two years less a day.
“If I were dealing with a younger person and a person in better health, I would be inclined to impose that sentence,” the document read.
The Crown’s request that Irving be barred from working in a position of financial trust was also granted.
“There was a system and many transactions made over and over again to result in the total fraud,” the document read. “The system was repeatedly used over years, resulting in a very large-scale fraud. She concealed the fraud.”
“Professional persons must be held to a relatively high standard of professional, ethical, and legal conduct. Ms. Irving’s conduct was far below these standards.”
- With files from Hallee Mandryk
