A southeast New Brunswick man avoided jail time after punching an N.B. Power contractor who was installing smart meters. Ronald Arsenault, 54, of Cap Pele received 12 months of probation and a conditional discharge. He must also complete anger management counseling.

Unprovoked Attack on Utility Worker

Moncton provincial court Judge Luc Labonte found Arsenault guilty of threatening and assaulting Akeem Duncan. The incident happened in March 2025. Duncan was installing smart power meters on Arsenault’s street. Duncan testified he went to Arsenault’s home but did not install a meter before moving to the next house.

Arsenault drove up behind Duncan and demanded he uninstall the meter. When Duncan explained he had not installed one, Arsenault refused to believe him.

“He said either I go back to his house, take the meters off, or he would just hit me in my face,” Duncan testified. Arsenault then punched Duncan twice in the face and threatened to track him down if he called the police.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Arsenault represented himself during the trial and denied hitting Duncan. Judge Labonte called the actions egregious and unreasonable. He noted it was an attack on an innocent person doing their job.

Crown prosecutor Sara Scaletta requested an 18 month suspended sentence. She noted the assault was unprovoked but acknowledged Arsenault had no prior criminal record. Arsenault argued 18 months was excessive and asked for 12 months. The judge considered immediate jail time but ultimately agreed to the conditional discharge. Duncan suffered no injuries and did not submit a victim impact statement.

If you follow local utility news, you know this assault highlights a growing issue for workers. N.B. Power reported its employees face harassment and assaults during the provincewide switch to new smart meters. You can read the original report on this case from CBC News.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the sentence for the assault?

Ronald Arsenault received 12 months of probation and a conditional discharge. He must also attend mandatory anger management counseling.

Why did the confrontation occur?

Arsenault confronted an N.B. Power contractor and demanded the removal of a smart meter from his home. He then punched the worker twice in the face.

Was the utility worker injured?

The contractor was not injured and did not submit a victim impact statement to the court.