Drug trafficker at risk of being deported after sentencing
Mohammed Karam Abualhawa, 25, of Fredericton, could be facing a federal prison sentence and a deportation order to return to the Middle East once he is sentenced in Woodstock Provincial Court on a drug trafficking charge.
Abualhawa was found guilty by Judge Karen Lee after his trial. He was charged by the RCMP with possession of crack cocaine for the purpose of trafficking following an incident on Feb. 21, 2023, at Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation). The charge was laid in connection with a search of a vehicle. Police seized a significant quantity of cocaine in nine bags, a debit card and $935 in cash.
The court heard Abualhawa was a university student involved in a “dial-a-dope” operation where he delivered drugs in response to calls. His cell phone contained data consistent with drug trafficking activity.
Crown Prosecutor Derek Weaver recommended that Abualhawa receive three years in prison for his crime. He also requested that the accused be ordered to register with the federal DNA database and be prohibited from using firearms.
Weaver said Abualhawa’s trafficking “falls on the high end,” because crack cocaine is a heavy-duty narcotic and the accused had over $5,000 worth in his possession. The court heard Abualhawa had a limited prior criminal record.
Defence Counsel Ron Morris requested a conditional sentence order of house arrest for his client. He said Abualhawa was a youthful offender who abused drugs for a time, but was now overcoming his addiction, holding down a job, and pursuing post-secondary education.
Morris told the court Abualhawa was facing deportation back to Jordan once his sentence is imposed because he was not a Canadian citizen and his return to the war-torn Middle East would interrupt his university education in Fredericton.
“He stopped trafficking so maybe you could cut him some slack,” Morris said.
The Crown argued the immigration issue was “moot” and that a sentence of house arrest was a “demonstrably unfit” punishment for a drug trafficker.
Judge Karen Lee reserved her decision on sentence until Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m. Further submissions from both the Crown and defence will also be heard on Oct. 2 at 1:30 p.m.
Released with ankle bracelet
Andrew Pickel, 54, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody on Aug. 29 and was released with conditions, including the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He returns to court for plea on Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Pickel was charged by the RCMP with assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, and indictable mischief following an incident on Aug. 28 in Woodstock.
Trial set on firearm charges
Brandon Chappel, 28, of Plaster Rock, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 2 for a monitoring hearing about his trial on four charges laid by the RCMP. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m. He told the court on Tuesday that he did not yet have legal counsel for his trial.
Chappel appeared in provincial court in custody in January and was released with conditions. He was charged with pointing a firearm at another person, uttering threats, possession of several guns without a licence, and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace in connection with an incident on June 15, 2024, at Plaster Rock.
Transferred to Halifax
Nicholas Erikson, 34, of no fixed address, was scheduled to appear in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 2. He did not attend due to his transfer to Halifax on other separate charges. His matters in Woodstock Provincial Court were adjourned for plea until Sept. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Erikson appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 14 for a bail hearing and waived his bail until later. RCMP charged him with resisting arrest on Aug. 13 at Benton, as well as breaking into a dwelling house and possession of stolen property on Aug. 12 at Oak Mountain. He had a prior criminal record.
Released under strict conditions
Takoda Louis Lee Christian, 19, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody on Aug. 29 and was released on strict conditions until his trial in February.
Christian was released under full house arrest on June 23 to a rehab facility in Nova Scotia for addiction treatment. He appeared in court in custody on May 29 after being arrested for breaching his release order.
On Aug. 29, the court heard he was being released to attend further treatment and counselling at Wotstak.
He was charged by Woodstock Police with breach of a release order (house arrest) on April 16 at Wotstak; breach of a no-contact order on April 14 in Woodstock; and breaching a no-contact order and house arrest on May 9-10. His trial was scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
He was also charged with assault and unlawful confinement between June 29, 2024, and July 4, 2024, at Wotstak; assault and two counts of assault by choking in Fredericton between Feb. 10 and Feb. 19; and mischief causing property damage to a cell phone between Feb. 10 and Feb. 19 at Wotstak. His trial date was set for March 20, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
He was also charged with assaulting another man with a weapon (a knife), uttering threats and mischief, causing property damage to a window in connection with an incident on April 8 in Lansdowne. His trial date was booked for Feb. 20, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Christian also faces charges laid by Woodstock Police following an assault outside the Royal Canadian Legion on Nov. 14, 2024. Police were called to the scene, and a man was transported to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Christian was charged with indictable aggravated assault, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
He also appeared in provincial court on April 15 and pleaded not guilty to another indictable assault charge laid by Woodstock Police. His trial was rescheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Christian pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault concerning an incident on March 25 at the Ayr Motor Centre. 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.
Holmesville man charged
Brent Demerchant, 58, of Holmesville, will appear for trial in provincial court on Sept. 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to three charges laid by the RCMP. He entered his not-guilty plea at a court appearance on Sept. 2.
Demerchant was charged with assault with a weapon (a rock), assault involving a female victim, and uttering threats for an incident on June 22 at Holmesville. He was released on an undertaking until his next court appearance.
Adjourned for plea
Aaron Barclay Moulton, 41, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on Sept. 2 to answer two charges laid by the RCMP. The matter was adjourned for plea until Oct. 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Moulton appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Aug. 11 and was released with conditions. He was arrested on a warrant on charges of assault and uttering threats concerning an incident at Neqotkuk.
Arrest warrant issued
The court issued an arrest warrant for Dana Spencer, 42, of Fredericton, after he failed to appear in provincial court for sentencing on Sept. 2.
Spencer appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Aug. 22 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to attend an earlier sentencing hearing.
He pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking (no contact order) on April 24, 2024, at Maplehurst, and guilty to refusing a breathalyzer demand concerning a separate incident on Aug. 19, 2023, at Florenceville-Bristol.
