Satellite : Theft and sale of Satellite television signals

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Former SaskTel managers facing charges in Regina
IMO the key words are theft and sale





Jeffrey M. DeSarno, 38, and Christopher Belay, 27, are facing criminal charges for the alleged theft and sale of satellite television signals.
Photograph by: leaderpost.com, photo illustration

REGINA — Two former SaskTel managers who were suspended from their jobs a year ago are now facing criminal charges for the alleged theft and sale of satellite television signals.

Jeffrey M. DeSarno, 38, and Christopher Belay, 27, were charged by RCMP in September, but the charges came up for the first time at Regina Provincial Court on Wednesday morning.

DeSarno is facing a total of seven charges, and is accused of obstruction, using a computer system to commit an offence, fraudulently obtaining a telecommunication service, and receiving and decoding encrypted programming signals. He is also accused of having, making or selling a device used to contravene the Radio Communications Act and having, making or selling a device used to fraudulently obtain telecommunication service.

Belay is facing just one allegation of manufacturing, possessing, selling or distributing an instrument or device intended to obtain telecommunication service without payment of a lawful charge.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in the period between early 2006 and September 2008.

Belay appeared in court in person to face the charge, but DeSarno did not.

Paul Malone, an agent for the federal Crown, elected to proceed by indictment on all the charges, meaning the two accused have to be personally present in court or file a document authorizing counsel to appear on their behalf in the future. Malone agreed to hold a warrant for DeSarno until the matters come back to court on Nov. 18.

SaskTel spokeswoman Michelle Englot did not return a call for comment on the case Wednesday. Speaking to the Leader-Post last year, another spokesperson for the Crown Corporation confirmed that two managers had been suspended without pay pending the outcome of a police investigation into the theft and illegal sale of satellite signals.

The suspension came after RCMP Regina Border Integrity Section and Regina Police Service investigators searched a SaskTel office and two homes early in September 2008, seizing personal computers and other electronic equipment.

According to Belay’s profile on the business networking website LinkedIn, he was a manager of Strategic Planning at SaskTel From May 2008 to September 2008, and had previously been employed at SaskTel as a Technical Analyst and technical assistant.

DeSarno has since moved to Brandon. In a blog post from the summer of 2008, DeSarno announced that he and his wife were selling their Regina Beach home after deciding to make “to make a huge change in our lifestyle.”