Former Lawyer James Bowie Receives Four-Year Sentence for Crimes

Former lawyer James Bowie was sentenced to four years in prison on September 2, 2023, after being found guilty of extortion, criminal harassment, and making threats against a former client. Bowie, 43, remained expressionless in the courtroom as Ontario Court Justice Paul Cooper delivered the verdict, which stemmed from a series of alarming actions that culminated in a criminal trial earlier this year.

Bowie was convicted in March of extorting a friend by coercing her to acquire a firearm to “take care” of his former client, Leanne Aubin. Although he was acquitted of one extortion charge related to Aubin, the court found him guilty of making credible threats to kill her. Justice Cooper characterized Bowie as a once-prominent defence lawyer in Ottawa, known for providing live updates on social media during high-profile criminal cases related to the 2022 convoy demonstrations.

During the sentencing, Cooper remarked, “Mr. Bowie’s fall from grace was at his own hands.” Aubin testified that she sought Bowie’s legal assistance during a difficult period in her life when she was facing an assault charge. Instead of offering professional support, she claimed that Bowie “weaponized” his position, attempting to exchange legal services for sexual favours. In a victim impact statement, she described feeling manipulated and abused due to Bowie’s actions.

Following Aubin’s complaint to the Law Society of Ontario, which resulted in his suspension from practicing law, Bowie demonstrated increasingly erratic behavior. The court heard that he became “unhinged” after the complaint was reported in the media. He pressured his then-friend to help him acquire a gun, tracked her movements using a GPS device, and confronted her in a grocery store parking lot.

Cooper emphasized the severity of Bowie’s actions during the sentencing. He stated, “Mr. Bowie is to be sentenced for his conduct, for his acts of extortion against a once-close friend.” The judge highlighted that Bowie had criminally harassed his former friend on multiple occasions, reinforcing the threat he posed through persistent tracking and intimidation.

The court recognized the potential escalation of Bowie’s criminal activity, with Cooper noting, “This could have been a homicide but for the courage of each of the two incredible individuals who were sadly victimized here by Mr. Bowie.” The name of the friend involved remains protected by a court-ordered publication ban, just as Aubin’s identity was initially shielded until she requested to lift the ban earlier in the proceedings.

Bowie’s conviction and subsequent sentencing serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of abusing professional authority and the importance of safeguarding individuals in vulnerable situations.