Calgary grandmother sent to jail after judge refuses to let her withdraw guilty pleas in $70,000 grandparent scam

A Calgary grandmother convicted of playing the in-person courier in a grandparent scam was sent to jail after a Court of King's Bench judge refused to let her withdraw her guilty pleas. Callers aged 67 to 96 were told a family member had been arrested and needed bail; between July 21 and Aug. 16, 2023, they handed about $70,000 to the person who came to collect it.

Alana Love Duncan, 49, pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud for picking up that cash. The Crown described the scheme as "sophisticated and predatory," and Duncan is the only person charged.

Justice Michele Hollins rejected a joint Crown-defence proposal for a conditional sentence of 12 months house arrest followed by a year of curfew, saying it would "look very similar to the life she is living pre-conviction" and would not be acceptable to a reasonably informed public. Hollins said Duncan "stood face to face with these people and took their money, knowing they believed they had to give it to her to help a family member in trouble." The sentence imposed is 12 months in jail plus one year of probation, with 50 hours of community service and $12,000 in restitution, below the $18,000 the lawyers had proposed.

Defence lawyer Mary Stephensen argued Duncan had been addicted to crack cocaine, is now sober, and is "trying to right this wrong." Hollins dismissed the withdrawal application, saying "all these arguments are arguments for appeal."

Duncan may still file an appeal.