Aggravated assault at AYR Motor Centre
Takoda Louis Lee Christian, 19, of Woodstock First Nation, appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on March 26 in connection with a violent assault at the AYR Motor Centre in Woodstock.
Woodstock Police charged Christian with aggravated assault stemming from an incident on March 25 at the recreational facility. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on April 15 at 9:30 a.m.
Woodstock Police said a 16-year-old victim suffered significant injuries in the incident and was transported to the Upper River Valley Hospital for treatment. Christian was arrested at the Woodstock/Houlton border crossing and transported back to Woodstock.
Christian is also facing other separate charges following another assault outside the Royal Canadian Legion on Nov. 14, 2024. Police were called to the scene, and a man was transported to hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
In that instance, Christian was charged with aggravated assault, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident. He is scheduled to return to court for plea on these charges on April 1 at 9:30 a.m.
He was arrested on a warrant while attempting to cross the Woodstock-Houlton border on Dec. 20, 2024. Christian had a bail hearing on Dec. 23, 2024, and was released with conditions.
Denied bail and remanded
Mitchell McKenzie, 39, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 27 for a bail hearing. He was denied bail and remanded to jail to await his plea on April 17 at 9:30 a.m.
McKenzie was arrested and charged by RCMP with breach of a release order and committing mischief concerning an incident on March 21 at Wotstak.
He also appeared in provincial court in custody on March 17 following a five-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche Hospital. Judge Karen Lee found McKenzie fit to stand trial and released him with conditions, but he returned to custody.
He is scheduled to return to court for plea on April 8 at 9:30 a.m. on more charges. His medical report indicated he struggles with heavy drug and alcohol abuse, affecting his mental health, but that he understood the charge against him and the court process.
McKenzie appeared in court in custody on March 10 after being arrested on a warrant. RCMP charged him with assaulting another man with a weapon (a wooden pole) following an incident on July 24, 2024, at Wotstak.
He appeared in provincial court in custody on Nov. 25, 2024, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions but failed to return to court for plea. He missed three court dates before being arrested on a warrant.
Guilty plea on three charges
Stephen Perley, 28, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody on March 28 and pleaded guilty to three charges laid by RCMP. He returns to court in custody on April 4 at 9:30 a.m. to set a date for his sentencing.
Perley pleaded guilty to resisting arrest on Sept. 10, 2024, at Neqotkuk, flight from police on Sept. 14, 2024, at Neqotkuk, and breach of probation by failing to report from Oct. 25, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023.
He appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Dec. 12, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to multiple firearm charges. His trial date was set for April 4, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Perley appeared in court in custody on Nov. 4, 2024, and was denied bail.
RCMP charged him with unlawful transport of firearms (several rifles, a shotgun, and a nine-millimetre handgun), possession of prohibited firearms, two counts of transporting firearms carelessly, two counts of possessing firearms without a licence, and possession of a gun with the serial number altered in connection with an incident on Sept. 24, 2024, at Neqotkuk.
Perley has a prior criminal record.
Released with conditions
Jeffrey Richard Bull, 45, of Newburg, appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on March 27. He was released with conditions, including house arrest with permission to attend work and wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
Bull returns to court for plea on April 22 at 9:30 a.m. RCMP charged him with breaking into a dwelling house and breach of probation stemming from an incident on March 16 at Bulls Creek. The court heard another charge is pending for possession of stolen property.
He is also scheduled for trial in provincial court on Aug. 7 and Aug. 29 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to two other charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Bull pleaded not guilty at a court appearance on Jan. 7. A pre-trial conference was also set for June 27 at 1:30 p.m.
Bull appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 9, 2024, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions. He was charged with aggravated assault and breach of probation concerning an incident on Sept. 8, 2024, at 2 a.m. when a man suffered a broken elbow after being struck by a bat on St. James Street in Woodstock. The alleged victim was a newcomer to the town for only three days.
New Demark man to stand trial
Damian Pelletier, 30, of New Denmark, was scheduled to appear in provincial court on March 28 for plea on two charges laid by RCMP. His lawyer attended on his behalf and entered a not-guilty plea on both counts. His trial date was set for March 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Pelletier was charged with driving while impaired by drugs and mischief causing property damage for an incident on June 30, 2022, in Waterville.
Charged with drug trafficking
Charles Giberson, 46, of Rothesay, appeared in provincial court on March 28 and pleaded not guilty to a drug trafficking charge laid by Woodstock Police. His trial date was set for Jan. 28, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Giberson was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, stemming from an incident on July 24, 2024, in Woodstock. A monitoring date was also set for Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m.
Arrested on a warrant
Brett Roger Chase, 26, of Central Waterville, appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on March 28 after being arrested on a warrant. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on April 15 at 9:30 a.m.
Chase was charged with fleeing from police following an incident in Woodstock. He failed to appear in court on March 18 for plea and a warrant was issued.
In custody awaiting trial
Clay Hargrove, 30, of Beechwood, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 27 and pleaded not guilty to two charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for June 26 at 9:30 a.m.
Hargrove pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault involving a male victim and possession of a stolen ATV for an incident on Aug. 27, 2024, at Upper Kent.
He appeared in court in custody for a bail hearing on Dec. 17, 2024, and waived his bail until later.
On Feb. 28, he pleaded guilty to possession of stolen vehicle, flight from police, and driving while prohibited for an incident on Dec. 8, 2024, at Tobique Narrows. Another charge of driving while suspended was withdrawn by the crown.
Hargrove also pleaded guilty to breaking into a cabin on Sept. 4, 2024, at Tobique Narrows. Two other charges related to the incident were withdrawn. A sentencing date was set for April 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Trial set on multiple charges
James Blair Hovey, 28, of Perth-Andover, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 27 and pleaded not guilty to several charges laid by RCMP. His trial dates were set for June 27 and June 30 at 9:30 a.m.
Hovey was charged with assaulting another man, taking a vehicle without consent, and breaching his curfew on Oct. 25, 2024, at Perth-Andover, and flight from police, assaulting police, possession of a stolen vehicle, dangerous driving and breaching his curfew on Nov. 27, 2024, in Plaster Rock.
He was also charged with possessing a stolen truck and breach of probation on Jan. 9 at Carlingford. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for July 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Hovey was also charged by Woodstock Police with breach of probation and break, enter and theft at a dwelling house on Creighton Street on Sept. 26, 2024. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial was reset for Sept. 12 and Sept. 24 at 9:30 a.m.
The court heard he also has other charges in Fredericton and Edmundston.
All charges withdrawn
Daniel Jr. Francis, 32, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody on March 26 for a bail hearing. He was released from custody, and the crown withdrew all charges against him.
RCMP charged Francis with possession of cocaine, breach of a release order (curfew), and breach of probation in connection with an incident on March 24 at Neqotkuk.
He appeared in provincial court in custody for a bailing hearing on Feb. 24 and was released with conditions but was not present in court on March 18, and a warrant was held on file.
RCMP charged Francis with mischief causing property damage to a door and breach of probation concerning an incident on Feb. 20 at Neqotkuk. The crown also withdrew those charges.
Killoween man denied bail
Trevor Lee Crain, 49, of Killoween, appeared in provincial court on March 27 for a bail hearing on three charges laid by RCMP. He was denied bail and remanded to jail.
Crain was charged with three counts of breaching his release order (house arrest), concerning incidents on Jan. 30, Feb. 2 and Feb. 7 at Beechwood. He returns to court in custody by video for plea on April 17 at 9:30 a.m.
Crain is also awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to other multiple charges laid by RCMP. His trial dates were set for July 25 at 9:30 a.m., May 30 at 1:30 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
He was charged by RCMP with possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles), resisting arrest, and breach of a release order in connection with an incident on July 1, 2024, at Killoween. The trial will be held on Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
He was also charged with breaking into a residence and committing sexual assault for another incident between May 1 and May 23, 2023, at Moose Mountain. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial date was set for July 25 at 1:30 p.m.
He also faces a charge of possessing stolen property for a separate May 5, 2024 incident. The trial will be held on Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Crain was charged by RCMP with break and enter at a dwelling house, breaching an undertaking on June 15, 2023, at Moose Mountain, and committing an assault involving a female victim on June 11, 2023, at Killoween. The trial on these matters will be held on July 25 at 9:30 a.m.
Crain is facing two more charges for incidents on July 11, 2023. His trial will be held on May 30 at 1:30 p.m. He is also awaiting trial for an incident on Dec. 27, 2024.
Trial date in May
Tanna Wright of Perth-Andover appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 27 and pleaded not guilty to breaching her release order. Her trial date was set for May 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Wright waived her bail until later. She was charged with breaching her release order (curfew) concerning an incident on Feb. 21 in Woodstock.
She appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Feb. 20 for a bail hearing. She was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle, but returned to custody the next day.
RCMP also charged Wright with breaching a no-contact order, assault, assault by choking and uttering threats against another woman concerning incidents on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 at Weaver. She pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for May 1 at 9:30 a.m.
She is also scheduled for trial on July 10 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to assault with a weapon and uttering threats on Dec. 16, 2023, in Greenfield and theft of a wallet in connection with another separate incident.
Trial date moved up
Braeden Paul Thornton, 28, of Hartland, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 27. He waived his bail until later and entered a not-guilty plea to a charge of breaching his release order. A trial date was set for July 11 at 9:30 a.m.
Thornton was charged with breaching his release order (no-contact) following an incident on March 15. His trial on other separate charges was also moved up to July 11 at 9:30 a.m.
Thornton was arrested by RCMP on Thanksgiving weekend on charges of breaching a peace bond, uttering threats, assault and assault by choking, theft of a cell phone, and breaching an undertaking. He pleaded not guilty. He was released with conditions following a bail hearing on Oct. 16, 2024. He has a prior criminal record.
Greenfield man awaits sentencing
Jorge Heinz Fenske, 56, of Greenfield, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 27 and changed his plea to guilty on two firearm charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing date was set for April 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Fenske was charged with possession of a firearm without a licence (a rifle) and improper storage of a firearm, stemming from an incident on Dec. 14, 2023, in Greenfield.
He also appeared in provincial court in custody by video on March 18 and pleaded not guilty to several other charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for May 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Fenske was denied bail and remanded to jail on Feb. 27. He was charged with breaching an undertaking (no-contact order) in connection with an incident on Feb. 1 at Greenfield and breach of an undertaking (no contact), assault with a weapon and uttering threats between Feb. 14-15 at Greenfield.
Fenske was also charged with assault causing bodily harm involving a female victim, assault with a weapon (a broom), and unlawful confinement for an incident on Nov. 16, 2024, at Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation). He was also charged with assault causing bodily harm, uttering threats and taking a vehicle without consent following an incident on Dec. 10, 2024, at Wotstak.
Charges withdrawn
Jace Maddox Anderson, 20, of Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court on March 28 after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by Woodstock Police. The crown withdrew the charges, and the trial was cancelled.
Woodstock Police charged Anderson with two counts of uttering threats against a female victim in connection with incidents on Jan. 14 and Jan. 17, 2024, in Woodstock. He pleaded not guilty.
Anderson is still awaiting trial on other matters. Woodstock Police charged him with uttering threats and breaching a no-contact order following an incident on July 1, 2024, in Woodstock. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial date was set for May 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Woodstock Police also charged Anderson with assault and uttering threats in connection with an incident at a Woodstock apartment on May 25, 2023. He pleaded not guilt,y and his trial date was adjourned to May 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Anderson also faces a charge of failing to appear in court on Nov. 1, 2023. He pleaded not guilty, and the trial was adjourned to May 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
