British Columbia

Former ICBC staffer pleads guilty in B.C. Justice Institute attacks

Elaine Rheaume, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized use of a computer.

Elaine Rheaume, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized use of a computer

Black-and-white CCTV image showing a person crouching near a white hotspot, next to a photo of a home covered in orange flames.
Police released surveillance video of the last arson alleged in this set of charges, which happened Jan. 13, 2012 at a West Vancouver home. (Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit B.C.)

Police say a former employee of the Insurance Corporaton of British Columbia (ICBC) has pleaded guilty in a case where people connected to the Justice Institute of B.C. were targeted with firebombings and shootings.

An earlier trial heard 15 families across Metro Vancouver were terrorized, after a man who saw them park at the justice training centre in New Westminster, B.C., tracked them down using information from their licence plates.

The attacks were orchestrated by Vincent Cheung who was sentenced to 13 years in prison by a B.C. Supreme Court judge last July.

The attacks on students and staff from the Justice Institute spanned nine municipalities, from April 2011 to January 2012. (Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit B.C.)

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit says the investigation determined an employee at ICBC fraudulently obtained the victims' names and personal information by searching their licence plates.

Police say 44-year-old Elaine Rheaume pleaded guilty in New Westminster Provincial Court to one count of unauthorized use of a computer on Monday.

Rheaume, who was fired by the corporation in 2011, received a suspended sentence of nine months probation and 40 hours of community service.