James Brush Windsor Police Theft ended in a Windsor courtroom on Wednesday, where a former Windsor Police Service fleet manager was sentenced to 12 months in jail for taking more than $30, 000 from the force. Ontario Court Justice Mikolaj Bazylko said the fraud was driven by “sheer greed” and meant to support a lifestyle Brush could not afford. Brush, 49, was taken into custody after the hearing and will be eligible for release after serving eight months of the sentence.
How the Windsor Police Theft case was handled
Brush pleaded guilty in January to two counts of fraud over $5, 000 tied to the improper use of corporate credit cards. The misconduct unfolded over more than a decade and was uncovered through an investigation by his police colleagues into spending that did not fit the rules. In the James Brush Windsor Police Theft case, the court also heard that Brush’s lawyer asked for house arrest, but the judge rejected that option.
Bazylko said there were “no exceptional mitigating circumstances” that would justify a conditional sentence. He added that general deterrence and denunciation had to be the main sentencing principles in the case. The judge also said he hoped the punishment would push Brush to repay what he took from his previous employer.
Sentence, restitution and restrictions
Along with jail time, Brush was ordered to provide a DNA sample to the Windsor Police Service and pay $30, 000 in restitution to the City of Windsor within four years. He is also barred for the next decade from any job or volunteer role that involves authority over another person’s property or money.
The judge waived the $400 victim fine surcharge, calling it an undue hardship because Brush faces a lengthy jail term and a substantial restitution payment. Brush will also spend 12 months on probation after his time in custody. The court’s order leaves him with a long list of limits that go far beyond the prison term itself.
James Brush Windsor Police Theft and the court’s warning
Bazylko said it was wholly appropriate for Brush to repay the money, underscoring the case’s focus on accountability as well as punishment. The judge said Brush’s effort to rehabilitate himself was noted, but not enough to outweigh the need for deterrence in a fraud case involving a public employer. The James Brush Windsor Police Theft sentence now closes one chapter, but the restitution timeline and probation terms will keep the case active for years.
What comes next
Brush will serve the custodial portion of the sentence before starting probation, while the restitution order remains in place over the next four years. The prohibition on handling property or money in a position of authority will stay in force for 10 years. For Windsor Police Service, the case ends with a conviction, a jail term, and a formal order that the money taken must be paid back.
