Raymond Joseph Laprise was sentenced Monday to eight months of house arrest, although the court-imposed conditions will be less stringent than normal

Raymond Joseph Laprise was sentenced Monday to eight months of house arrest, although the court-imposed conditions will be less stringent than normal to accommodate his new job as a travelling salesman.Superior Court Justice Joseph Donohue said he felt it was important that Laprise keep working so he can make restitution to the finance company he defrauded. Laprise, 54, was convicted in February of fraud and theft for filing bogus paperwork 37 times to get more than $100,000 in loans from "factoring companies" that advance commissions to real estate agents. As new loans replaced old ones, he paid back all but $14,265.Donohue ordered Laprise to pay back the amount by February at a rate of no less than $2,000 a month. When Laprise balked at the payment rate, telling the judge through his lawyer that he is paid by commission, the judge shook his head and criticized Laprise for not having thought of that earlier.You would think that someone who wanted to put themselves in the best light with the court and community would have taken care of that," Donohue said moments earlier in passing sentence.Defence lawyer Roland Schwalm said Laprise is employed selling building supplies throughout Southwestern Ontario. He travels as far away as Woodstock, so he can't be home in Windsor every night to comply with a court-ordered curfew. Donohue agreed to impose house arrest using both Laprise's Windsor home and a friend's residence in London as home addresses. Laprise must be at one of those two places when not working or attending medical appointments. In an order more detailed than judges normally impose, Donohue gave Laprise one hour out of his workday for lunch and two hours -- from 10 a.m. to noon -- on Saturdays to be out of the house for "groceries and grooming."
Laprise must also perform 80 hours of community service.Laprise was arrested in 2004 after his friend and fellow real estate agent, Robert Janisse, discovered Laprise's fraud scheme and called police.Laprise operated Integrity Realty until 2003, when, facing bankruptcy, he got Janisse to take over the company so Laprise could continue to sell houses. Janisse was a silent partner who left left the day-to-day operation of the business to Laprise.Janisse discovered Laprise and Laprise's assistant, Linda Eaton, had been keeping two sets of sales records. One set was accurate, kept in case of audits, and one was made up of fraudulent sales transactions used to procure loans.Eaton was charged along with Laprise. She pleaded guilty in September 2005 to theft under $5,000 and was sentenced to three years probation.During his trial, Laprise tried to pin the crimes on Eaton and Janisse, calling himself a "victim of circumstance."Donohue did not believe Laprise and convicted him of all charges.Assistant Crown attorney Elizabeth Brown told the court finance companies may become more stringent because of Laprise's fraud. "They rely on the honesty of real estate agents," Brown said. "This is a breach of trust situation." On Monday, Donohue said Laprise "besmirched" all real estate agents by his conduct. "It's unfortunate that one member of a profession brings down the reputation of all others."Court heard Laprise's real estate licence has been suspended and that it will likely be revoked permanently.