A collection of a drug debt took a turn as threats were made.

A 45-year-old Sarnia man acknowledged he was verbally aggressive, even though he says he didn’t make the threats. Frederick Hunter was given a suspended sentence with probation of one year, after pleading guilty to uttering threats and theft in Sarnia court on recently.

Hunter arrived at an apartment on Devine Street in Sarnia on Jan. 29 along with two other men. A drug debt was owed and a 70-inch television was to be used as payment.

An argument began which Hunter was involved.

“I will cut and chop him up,” was one of the threats made by one of the other men with Hunter.

When police arrived at the apartment, Hunter was not there and an arrest warrant was issued. He doesn’t remember there was a drug debt, said Defence Lawyer Terry Brandon.

In another incident, Hunter had been invited to an apartment on Jan. 1, 2021 on Forsyth Street in Sarnia. The resident of the apartment thought she had heard a knock at the door of a neighboring apartment. She found her purse dumped on the couch with Hunter nowhere to be found when she returned.

Her wallet, including health card, birth certificate and phone was taken along with $480 in cash. He was ordered to pay back the $480 in restitution.

“You took advantage of a person who was your friend,” said Justice Deborah Austin, calling his actions opportunistic. In the drug debt situation, he was someone who egged on and made the situation worse, she said.