Youth charged in Ribfest incident released with conditions

1. Youth charged in Ribfest incident released with conditions

A 17-year-old male youth from Woodstock appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 29 for a fitness hearing following his 30-day mental health assessment.

The court found the youth fit to stand trial and released him with conditions. He returns to court for plea on Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m.

The youth was charged with assault, uttering threats, possession of weapons dangerous to the public peace (knives, swords and a firearm) and possession of break-in tools following an incident at Ribfest on July 21 at Connell Park.

He was also charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace and concealing a weapon (a knife) concerning an earlier incident at Woodstock High School on March 28.

Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean ordered the youth to seek counselling for mental health and addiction during his release. A publication ban protects the accused’s identity because he is under the age of 18.

2. Suspended sentence, probation for Arthurette man

Alexander St. Peter, 25, of Arthurette, received a suspended sentence and 18 months of probation when he appeared in provincial court for sentencing on Aug. 29. He was also fined $200 and was ordered to continue mental health counselling.

The RCMP charged St. Peter with assaulting a female victim and unlawful entry at a dwelling house in relation to an incident on Aug. 16, 2021, in Arthurette. He was also charged with failing to attend court on Nov. 1, 2022. He pleaded guilty to the charges. St. Peter had a limited prior criminal record.

3. Held for bail hearing

Marshall Turner, 22, of Beaconsfield, appeared in provincial court in custody on Aug. 28 and was remanded to jail. He returns to court in custody for a bail hearing on Sept. 1 at 1:30 p.m.

RCMP charged Turner with committing mischief, dangerous driving and breach of probation concerning an incident on Aug. 26 at Beaconsfield.

4. Conditional sentence for assaulting police

Zachary Quondam, 25, of Chipman, appeared in provincial court in custody for sentencing on two assault charges on Aug. 29. He received a three-month conditional sentence of house arrest.

Quondam can attend school while serving his conditional sentence but must follow a curfew. He was also fined $100. The court heard he was in custody after being arrested on a warrant for another matter in Fredericton. He also had a prior criminal record.

RCMP charged him with two counts of assaulting a police officer in relation to an incident on June 8, 2020, in Jacksonville. He was found guilty after trial.

Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean ordered him to seek mental health counselling. The court heard Quondam got into a tussle with police and spat on one officer when they came to his door to investigate a report of an alleged domestic dispute. The complaint turned out to be unfounded.

5. Two Grand Falls women charged with drug trafficking

Two women from Grand Falls appeared in provincial court on Aug. 29 to answer multiple counts of drug trafficking.

Lori Guest and Amber Gaunce stood together before Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean in Woodstock to answer five charges. They were each charged by RCMP with possession of cocaine, methamphetamine, nabilone, clonazepam, and magic mushrooms, all for the purpose of trafficking in connection with an incident on March 2 in Grand Falls.

Guest and Gaunce return to court for plea on Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m. Both women have now secured legal counsel.

6. New legal counsel expected at Butler’s next appearance

Rodney Butler, 49, of Bulls Creek, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 29 and told the court he expects to have new legal counsel when he returns for monitoring on Sept. 5 at 1:30 p.m.

Dates for Butler’s five-day trial were set for Dec. 4, Dec. 6-8, and Dec. 11 at 9:30 a.m.

RCMP charged him with reckless discharge of a firearm, indictable assault, uttering threats, using a handgun to kidnap Chris Demerchant, unlawful confinement, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, possession of a firearm without a licence, and illegal possession of a firearm in a vehicle, following an incident on Nov. 13, 2021, at Bulls Creek.

On that date, RCMP was called to the scene of a fatal shooting on Route 165 at Bulls Creek. Christine Pelletier-Thibodeau, 35, died as a result of her injuries. Over the next several days, police tape was erected around the property, including a residence surrounded by a vehicle salvage yard.

Timothy Grant, 30, of Canterbury, appeared in provincial court on July 4 for monitoring about his trial on charges related to the alleged kidnapping. He confirmed he had secured legal counsel and would be ready to proceed. His two-day trial was set for Sept. 6-7 at 9:30 a.m.

Grant pleaded not guilty to three charges concerning an incident on Nov. 13, 2021, in Scott Siding. RCMP charged him with using a handgun to kidnap Chris Demerchant, unlawful confinement, and indictable assault.

7. Arrested and held for bail hearing

Brady Melvin Crain, 27, of Wicklow, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 28 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear for sentencing. He waived his bail until later and returns to court in custody on Sept. 6 at 1:30 p.m.

Crain was charged with assault on a female victim and breach of an emergency intervention order concerning incidents on April 29, 2021, and March 14, 2021, in Woodstock. RCMP also charged him with breach of a release order on Dec. 6, 2021, at Mount Pleasant. He pleaded guilty, and a sentencing date was set for July 27.

He appeared in provincial court on April 18 and pleaded not guilty to other charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for Jan. 17, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

Crain was charged on April 4 with breaching his release order. He also appeared in provincial court on March 16 on charges of breach of an undertaking, committing mischief, and taking a vehicle without consent in connection with incidents on Aug. 29, 2022, and Oct. 28, 2022, at Perth-Andover.

8. Bail hearing rescheduled

Andrew Joseph St. Peter, 31, of Plaster Rock, will appear in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Aug. 30 at 2 p.m. He was arrested on a warrant after he failed to appear in court for plea. His bail hearing was set for Aug. 29 but was rescheduled after he refused to leave his jail cell to attend court.

St. Peter appeared in provincial court in custody on July 26 to answer a weapons charge related to an incident in the village on July 22. RCMP charged him with possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace (a firearm).

He was released from custody with conditions and was scheduled for plea on Aug. 22. He was arrested after police received reports of a suspect carrying a weapon in the village.

St. Peter was also slated for plea on charges under the SPCA Act. He was charged by SPCA officers with willful neglect of an animal and failing to provide medical attention to a dog concerning incidents on Jan. 1-2 in Plaster Rock.

In June, the court heard St. Peter had been admitted to the Restigouche hospital and could not attend court.

9. Trial date set on several charges

James Edward Pickard, 30, of Perth-Andover, will appear for trial in provincial court on June 21, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to several charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for a court appearance on Aug. 29.

Pickard appeared in provincial court in custody for his bail hearing on July 12 and was released with conditions.

RCMP charged him with assault with a weapon (a Japanese sword called a katana) and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence on April 29 at Perth-Andover; uttering threats and committing mischief on May 3 in Perth-Andover; and breach of an undertaking on May 6 in Perth-Andover. He was remanded until his release from custody.

10. Returning to court for plea

Teisha Rose Scott, 23, of Medford, appeared in provincial court in custody on Aug. 29. She was arrested on a warrant for a matter in Fredericton. She returns to court in Woodstock on Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on one charge.

RCMP charged Scott with possession of stolen property (a 2006 Suzuki Aerio) following an incident on Oct. 13, 2021, at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation). She was arrested on an earlier warrant for failing to appear in court for plea and was released with conditions.

11. Pair to enter pleas following manhunt

Wyatt DeLong, 28, of Cloverdale, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 29 for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until later. DeLong returns to court in custody for plea on Sept. 26 at 11:30 a.m.

Defence Counsel Alex Carleton told the court more time was needed to receive and review the disclosure of evidence from the crown.

DeLong was charged with discharging a firearm with intent, flight from police, dangerous driving and breach of probation in connection with an incident on July 14 at Florenceville-Bristol when shots were allegedly fired at a police officer.

Janice Buchanan, 27, of Perth-Andover, was charged with robbery with violence, stemming from an incident on May 29 at Florenceville-Bristol.

The alleged theft involved a car, wallet and cell phone. Buchanan reserved her bail hearing until a later date. She was remanded to jail and returns to court for plea on Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m.

They were arrested after a manhunt in Victoria County in connection with a series of incidents in the Upper River Valley.

12. Trial date on assault charge

Donald Paul of Woodstock First Nation will appear for trial in provincial court on Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to an assault charge.

The RCMP charged Paul with assault involving a female victim in connection with an incident on June 29 at Woodstock First Nation. A monitoring date for his trial was also set for Oct. 17 at 1:30 p.m.

13. Woodstock man facing weapons charges

Ryan Michael Fitzherbert, 28, of Woodstock, will appear for trial in provincial court on June 17, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to weapons charges.

The RCMP charged Fitzherbert with improper storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, and possession of a prohibited weapon (a switchblade knife) in connection with an incident on Dec. 10, 2021, in Jacksonville.

He will also stand trial at the Court of King’s Bench on April 15-17, 2024, on drug trafficking charges.

14. Arrested for failing to appear

Gavin Schloemer, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), was arrested on a warrant when he came to court on Aug. 29 for monitoring about his trial. He was held in jail for the day and then released with conditions. He returns to court for plea on Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m. The warrant was issued for failing to appear in court in December.

Schloemer will also appear for trial in provincial court on Oct. 12 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to other charges laid by RCMP.

RCMP charged him with resisting arrest on June 21 at Neqotkuk, two counts of assaulting police on June 21 at Williamstown, and break and enter at a dwelling house on Oct. 3, 2021, at Neqotkuk.

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15. Trial scheduled on one set of charges

James Blair Hovey, 27, of Perth Andover, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 28 for plea on several charges laid by RCMP. He pleaded not guilty to one set of charges and returns to court for plea on the remaining charges on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.

Hovey was first arrested on a warrant on 12 charges. RCMP charged him with two counts of assault on a female victim, two counts of assault with a weapon (a knife and bear spray), three counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, pointing a firearm at another person, careless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm (a shotgun) without a licence, assault while threatening to use a weapon (a machete), and committing mischief causing property damage to an iPhone, laptop computer, and a flat-screen TV.

The incidents occurred at Plaster Rock between Dec. 14 and Dec. 20, 2022, and between Feb. 1 and Feb. 28 of this year. He pleaded not guilty on all counts, and a trial date was set for Nov. 8 at 9:30 a.m.

Hovey appeared in court in custody on July 26 and was denied bail. He appeared in provincial court in custody on June 27 after being arrested on a warrant. He was charged with breach of a release order between June 10 and June 12 in Grand Falls and failing to attend court for plea in Woodstock on June 13.

Hovey appeared in provincial court in custody on May 18 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. On June 13, the court heard he was working outside the area near the Quebec border and could not get to court to make his plea.

He appeared in court in custody on May 1 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions but allegedly breached his release order. He was later charged with break and enter at a dwelling house and theft concerning an incident on May 12.

16. Woodstock man waiting for trial date

Jace Maddox Anderson, 18, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m. to set a date for his trial. He appeared in provincial court on Aug. 29 after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by Woodstock Police.

Anderson was charged with assault and uttering threats in connection with an incident at a Woodstock apartment on May 25. He made his first court appearance on July 18.

17. Meductic woman awaiting plea

Tori Madeline Snow, 20, of Meductic, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 29 for plea on several charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned to Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of her defence counsel.

Snow appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 6 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including a curfew and a no-contact order to stay away from the complainants. She is residing at a residence in Windsor.

RCMP charged Snow with assaulting another woman with a weapon (a metal bar), uttering threats, and theft of a safe following an incident on June 19 at Meductic. She was also charged with assault causing bodily harm to a male person, committing mischief causing property damage, and break and enter at a dwelling house with intent to commit an assault concerning another incident on July 3 at Meductic. She was arrested and taken into custody on July 3.

18. Trial set on trafficking, extortion charges

Nathan Leon Godin, 29, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 29 and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges laid by RCMP. His three-day trial was set for Jan. 3-5, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

Godin was denied bail in July. RCMP charged him with drug trafficking, extortion, and firearm offences. A pre-trial conference will also be held on Sept. 29 at 9:30 a.m.

Godin appeared in provincial court in custody by video on June 22 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court. He was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, resisting arrest, possession of a prohibited weapon with ready ammunition, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm (a sawed-off shotgun), possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, improper storage of a firearm, and breach of a release order in connection with an incident on June 21 at Woodstock First Nation.

Godin was also charged with making threats to obtain money, possession of a weapon (a baton) for the purpose of committing an offence, committing mischief causing property damage to a window, and assaulting another man with a weapon (a baton), following an incident on June 20 at Woodstock First Nation. He was also charged with failing to appear in court on June 20. At that time, the court heard he owed a $2,000 fine, and a warrant of committal was pending.

Godin was also charged by RCMP with driving while suspended, possession of a firearm without a licence, and being an occupant of a vehicle, knowing it carried a firearm, following an incident on May 1 at Woodstock First Nation.

He appeared in court in custody by video on April 5 and was released with conditions. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, flight from police, and possession of stolen licence plates for another incident on March 22 at Woodstock First Nation; possession of methamphetamine on April 2 near Woodstock; two counts of breaching a release order by failing to follow a curfew on March 31 and April 1 at Woodstock; and breaching an order to abstain from non-prescription drugs on April 2 at Woodstock.

19. York County man to stand trial

Joshua Cordell Thornton, 42, of Central Waterville, York County, will appear for trial in provincial court on June 19, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to an assault charge.

Woodstock Police charged Thornton with assault involving a female victim following an incident on May 21 in Woodstock. He entered his not-guilty plea at a court appearance on Aug. 29.

20. Charge withdrawn, peace bond signed

Richard (Ricky) Denny, 60, of Bath, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 23 on a theft charge. The trial did not proceed after he agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond. The crown then withdrew the charge.

RCMP charged Denny with theft of a cell phone concerning an incident on Feb. 19, 2022, in Bath. At an earlier court appearance, the crown offered to divert the charge to alternative measures, but Denny did not complete the program.

21. Charged with assault by throwing hot coffee

Diana Cogswell, 21, of Beardsley Road, will appear in provincial court on Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m. to enter a plea on an assault charge.

RCMP charged Cogswell with assault with a weapon (a cup of hot coffee) following an incident involving another woman on April 18 in Lower Woodstock. She appeared in court for plea on Aug. 29 when the matter was adjourned to the new date at the request of her defence counsel.

22. Another trial scheduled for Woodstock man

Jacob Jinson, 24, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 29 and pleaded not guilty to two charges laid by RCMP. A trial date was set for June 26, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.

Jinson appeared in court in custody on Aug. 14 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions. The RCMP charged Jinson with breach of probation and breach of a release order by violating electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet). The charges were laid concerning an incident on July 30 in Mainstream. He is now residing at a residence in Somerville.

On June 26, Jinson and Riley Cowper, 19, of Limestone, elected trial by judge and jury on charges of indictable sexual assault and unlawful confinement. Their trial will be held at the Court of King’s Bench.

Jinson appeared in custody by video on April 3. RCMP charged him with sexual assault involving a female victim, unlawful confinement, and breach of probation concerning an incident on March 26 at Limestone.

He was released with strict conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was also ordered to follow a curfew.

Cowper appeared in provincial court in custody by video on April 5 for a bail hearing and was released with strict conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. RCMP charged him with sexual assault involving a female victim, unlawful confinement, and breach of probation, in connection with the same incident on March 26 at Limestone.

Cowper also faces a charge for another incident at Limestone last year, where RCMP charged with assault with a weapon (a hammer and tire iron) involving another man on March 23, 2022. Cowper pleaded not guilty at an earlier court appearance, and a trial date for provincial court was set for Oct. 30 at 9:30 a.m.

23. Decision delayed after trial on sex charge

Matthew White, 41, of Upper Woodstock, will return to provincial court on Sept. 15 at 9:30 a.m. for a verdict following the conclusion of his trial on July 17. A decision was slated for Aug. 28 but was adjourned to the new date.

RCMP charged White with invitation to touching for a sexual purpose involving a female minor in connection with an incident on July 22, 2022, at Woodstock. He was released on an undertaking to have no contact with the complainant.

After a day and a half of testimony, Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean reserved his decision. White testified in his own defence during the trial.

24. In custody awaiting trial

Matthew McGrath, 30, of no fixed address, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 29 for monitoring about his trial. He was denied bail in May and remanded to jail. The court heard McGrath had secured legal counsel to proceed to trial on Nov. 2.

RCMP charged him with assaulting a female victim and breach of probation concerning an incident at Plaster Rock. He was arrested on May 5 and later pleaded not guilty to the charges.

25. Hearing to reverse guilty plea adjourned

Emily McSheffrey, 27, of Waterville, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 29 for a hearing to withdraw her guilty plea. Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean adjourned the hearing until Sept. 14 at 9:30 a.m.

On July 25, McSheffrey appeared in provincial court for sentencing on five charges and told the court she wanted to withdraw her guilty plea on one of them.

To reverse her plea, McSheffrey must prove she was unaware of the allegations and charge; that she was unaware of the effect and consequences of her guilty plea; that her plea was not made voluntarily, and that her plea was equivocal in nature.

Her sentencing was postponed until after the hearing. At an earlier court appearance, the crown informed the court a period of incarceration was being sought for the accused.

McSheffrey pleaded guilty in January to assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and fraudulent impersonation to avoid arrest, mischief, and assault with a weapon (a rock) involving a female victim in connection with an incident on Nov. 13, 2021, in Wicklow. After entering her guilty plea, she also agreed to sign a six-month peace bond.

She told the court she wanted to withdraw her guilty plea on the charge involving the rock. Defence Counsel Brent Dickinson also asked to be removed as her solicitor of record.

During her court appearance on Aug. 29, a new charge of breach of a no-contact order was laid by RCMP for an incident on July 7 at Woodstock First Nation. She returns to court for plea on that charge on Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m.

McSheffrey appeared in provincial court in custody on April 5 and was released with conditions. RCMP charged her with uttering threats and breach of an undertaking following an incident on April 3 at Wicklow.

The charges involve a male complainant. She was also charged with assault for an incident on Feb. 21. She pleaded not guilty, and her trial date was set for April 24, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

She also pleaded not guilty to a series of other charges, and a trial date was set for Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m. She was charged with uttering threats, mischief and assaulting a police officer on July 6, 2022, in Waterville, and refusing a breathalyzer on Aug. 29, 2020, in Jacksonville.

McSheffrey also appeared in court in custody in November and was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 in relation to a break-in at a tarp shed in Woodstock on Nov. 8, 2022. She was arrested at a gas station in Bath while travelling as a passenger in a stolen 2016 Polaris RZR side-by-side. She pleaded not guilty to the charge.

26. Denied bail and remanded

Morgan Nicholas, 27, of Perth-Andover, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 28 for a bail hearing. He was denied bail and remanded. He returns to court on Sept. 19 at 10:30 a.m. for monitoring.

RCMP charged Nicholas with breach of release order, resisting arrest, uttering threats, assault, assault with a weapon, and assaulting a police officer. He was arrested on the New Brunswick Day weekend.

He also appeared in provincial court in April and pleaded not guilty to all other charges laid by RCMP. Three trials were scheduled for early next year on Feb. 1, Feb. 5, and Feb. 9, 2024.

Nicholas pleaded not guilty to uttering threats on Oct. 18, 2022; assault and assaulting a female with a weapon on Nov. 25, 2022, breach of an undertaking and mischief causing damage to a police safety shield on Dec. 15, 2022; resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer on Jan. 6; breach of a no-contact order on March 5; breaching his curfew on March 16; uttering threats and assaulting a police officer on Jan. 7 in Woodstock; and committing mischief on Jan. 6. All but one of the alleged incidents occurred in Perth-Andover and Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation).

Nicholas appeared in custody by video on March 7 and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.

27. 30 days concurrent for theft

Jeremy Graves, 29, of Lincoln, appeared in provincial court in custody by video for sentencing on Aug. 29. He was handed 30 days in jail concurrent to a lengthy federal prison sentence he is already serving on other charges in Fredericton.

RCMP charged Graves with stealing gas from the Esso station in Florenceville-Bristol on Feb. 11. He pleaded guilty to the charge. Graves had a prior criminal record.

28. Greenfield woman to stand trial

Beverley Dawn Kenneson, 53, of Greenfield, will appear for trial in provincial court on March 20, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by RCMP.

Kenneson was charged with shoplifting and defrauding Smith Drugs Ltd., stemming from an incident between July 11 and July 23, 2022, in Florenceville-Bristol. She pleaded not guilty at a court appearance on May 16.

On Aug. 29, Defence Counsel James Crocco confirmed Kenneson would be ready to proceed to trial. A pre-trial conference will also be held on Jan. 10, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.