Drug trafficking through Canada Post
Anastasia Shtukin, 25, of Woodstock, was sentenced to two years of house arrest when she appeared in provincial court on Nov. 21 on charges of drug trafficking through Canada Post.
Shtukin was found guilty after trial in August on two counts of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.
On Friday, Judge Lucie Mathurin told the court that eight months of her sentence will be full house arrest with permission to attend work, and the next 16 months will involve following a curfew.
The judge also placed Shtukin on 12 months of probation and ordered her to register with the federal DNA database. She was fined $200, and a 10-year prohibition on firearms was imposed. During her probation, she must seek mental health and addiction counselling.
Shtukin had no prior criminal record and came to court with several letters of reference and a positive pre-sentence report.
Judge Mathurin said the accused was not the master mind of the drug trafficking operation, and since her arrest, she had severed ties with her pro-criminal friends. She continues to work full-time at a local trucking company where she is a valued employee.
RCMP charged Shtukin in connection with an incident on Feb. 25, 2022, on Beardsley Road in Lower Woodstock. Her arrest was part of an undercover police investigation into drug trafficking in the river valley.
Evidence during the trial revealed packages containing crystal meth were being delivered to Shtukin’s home through Canada Post. During the execution of a search warrant, police seized four kilos of crystal meth, scales, baggies and drug paraphernalia from her residence. All items were forfeited to the Crown.
Shtukin testified she used drugs but said she was not selling them. Police evidence indicated she had conversations with drug dealers online and collected a $50 fee for receiving a package mailed to her address.
On the day of the incident, Shtukin was sitting in her car in the driveway, waiting for packages to be delivered, and directed an undercover officer posing as a Canada Post employee to place two parcels on her porch. She testified she believed shoes were being delivered to her address for a friend.
The defence argued Shtukin was “willfully blind” to what her friends were doing through the mail.
510 days in jail
Joshua Adam Demerchant, 36, of Pembroke, was sentenced to 510 days in jail, minus time served, when he appeared in court in custody via video on Nov. 19. He was also placed on 12 months of probation. He was prohibited from driving for two years.
Demerchant pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen side-by-side and flight from police on July 12, 2023, in Hartland; guilty to two counts of breaching a release order on Oct. 18, 2023, in Pembroke and on Dec. 4, 2023, in Woodstock; guilty to flight from police, driving while suspended and breach of a release order (ankle bracelet on July 15, 2024, in Woodstock.
Demerchant appeared in provincial court in custody after being arrested on a warrant. He has 240 days left to serve in jail once his remand time is applied.
Judge Leslie Jackson also imposed a stand-alone $7,588 restitution order for the damage done to the side-by-side owned by Dave’s Sports Centre in Woodstock.
Demerchant had a lengthy prior criminal record and a history of addiction.
Released with conditions
Chad Brooker, 36, of Centreville, appeared in provincial court in custody on Nov. 19 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court the day before. The court heard Brooker turned himself in to the sheriffs at the courthouse.
Judge Leslie Jackson released him on conditions and ordered him to return to court on Dec. 2 at 9:30 a.m. with legal counsel to set a trial date.
Brooker pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, touching a minor for a sexual purpose and invitation to sexual touching in connection with an incident between June 1 and Oct. 31, 2024, at Centreville.
He appeared in court in custody via teleconference on Aug. 8 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to attend court and was released on an undertaking.
Sent to rehab with ankle bracelet
James Morgan DeMerchant, 24, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Nov. 20 for a bail hearing after being arrested on nine charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Judge Henrik Tonning released him with conditions to a rehab facility in Moncton with the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He returns to court for plea on Dec. 11 at 9:30 a.m.
Demerchant was charged with possession of a prohibited firearm (a sawed-off shotgun) while prohibited from having it, possession of a prohibited firearm without a licence, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of two stolen passports, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, carrying a prohibited firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited firearm without a licence, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, and carrying a concealed weapon following an incident on Oct. 12 in Woodstock.
Guilty to impaired driving
Cindy Darlene Nicholson, 51, of Upper Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court on Nov. 21 and changed her plea to guilty on a charge of impaired driving. Her sentencing was set for Feb. 25, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Woodstock Police charged Nicholson in connection with an incident on Oct. 16, 2023, in Woodstock. The court heard the Crown would be seeking a custodial sentence of 120 days based on her record of prior convictions for impaired driving.
Bail hearing adjourned
Timothy Wheelan, 39, of Jacksonville, appeared in court in custody via video on Nov. 20 for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until Dec. 4 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.
Wheelan was charged with breach of a peace bond, possession of a stolen utility trailer, resisting arrest, dangerous driving, and flight from police for an incident on Nov. 17 at Meductic.
He is also facing other separate charges of drug trafficking between June 1 and June 13 in Jacksonville, as well as 48 gun charges and three charges of uttering threats on March 17, April 10, and Aug. 12, breach of a peace bond, and breach of a release order on Sept. 21. He will enter a plea on Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m.
Failed to appear for trial
The court issued an arrest warrant for Cole Wade Gray, 23, of Upper Kintore after he failed to appear for trial in provincial court on Nov. 20.
Gray pleaded not guilty to theft of lumber between July 21, 2023, and July 23, 2023, in Johnville. The Crown withdrew another charge of unlawful entry at a dwelling house.
He also pleaded not guilty to breaching curfew and breaching a release order between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1, 2023, at Aroostook.
Gray appeared in provincial court on July 29 and pleaded not guilty to three other charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was set for Aug. 21, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
He was charged with two counts of mischief and uttering threats in connection with an incident on March 18 at Lower Kintore. He was released on an undertaking until his trial.
Returning for plea
Nicholas Robert McHatten, 29, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 9 at 9:30 a.m. to answer an impaired driving charge.
McHatten was charged by Woodstock Police concerning an incident on May 27 in Woodstock. He made his first court appearance on Nov. 18 when the matter was adjourned for plea.
Facing two charges
Makayla Phillips, 22, of no fixed address, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 9 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on two charges laid by the RCMP.
Phillips was charged with uttering threats and mischief, and with causing property damage to a house, in an incident on Jan. 24 at Richmond Settlement. She made her first court appearance on Nov. 18 when the matter was adjourned for plea to the new date.
Change of plea
Leah Driscoll, 44, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared for trial in provincial court on Nov. 21 and changed her plea to guilty on charges laid by the RCMP. Her sentencing date was set for Feb. 24, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
She pleaded guilty to willfully neglecting an animal (two dogs) under the SPCA Act on July 23, 2023, at Neqotkuk; guilty to resisting arrest on July 23, 2023, and April 29, 2024; and breaching a release order on April 29, 2024, and May 26, 2024, in Woodstock. The Crown withdrew three other charges.
Driscoll appeared in provincial court in custody via video on May 29, 2024, for a bail hearing and was released on conditions.
Charge withdrawn
Terrance Wright, 60, of Greenfield, appeared for trial in provincial court on Nov. 19 after pleading not guilty to one charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Wright was charged with breaching the conditions of his release by violating a no-contact order following an incident on June 20, 2024, in Woodstock. The Crown withdrew the charge, and the trial was cancelled.
Sentencing on three charges
Austin Tyler Saulis, 29, of Saint John, appeared for trial in provincial court on Nov. 21 and entered a guilty plea to three charges laid by Woodstock Police. His sentencing date was booked for March 30, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Saulis pleaded guilty to two counts of uttering threats and one count of assault involving a female victim, following incidents between April 1, 2023 and Sept. 4, 2024, in Woodstock. The Crown withdrew another charge of assault causing bodily harm.
Released with ankle bracelet
Rachel Sockabasin, 40, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Nov. 20 for a bail hearing. She was released on conditions, including the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device on her ankle.
Sockabasin returns to court for plea on Dec. 9 at 1:30 p.m. on a charge of breaching her release order. She is also facing other separate charges.
The RCMP charged her with breaching her release order concerning an incident on Sept. 4 at Perth-Andover. She pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for July 20, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
She was also charged with breach of an undertaking, breach of probation, and three counts of theft, stemming from incidents on Feb. 12, Aug. 11, 2023, and Dec. 22, 2023, at the Ultramar in Carlingford. She pleaded not guilty, and her trial was scheduled for July 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Sockabasin appeared in provincial court by video in custody for a bail hearing on Sept. 11 and was released with conditions, but returned to custody. The court heard that other charges were being transferred from Edmundston.
Preliminary hearing continues
Patrick Harris, 40, of Fredericton, and Tamara Hamilton, 30, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 9, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. for the continuation of their preliminary hearing.
They pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a shooting in Mainstream in February—the pair elected trial by judge alone at the Court of King’s Bench. The first part of their preliminary hearing took place in provincial court earlier this month.
Harris appeared in court by video on March 19 for his bail hearing and was released on conditions, including wearing an ankle electronic monitoring device. He is residing at a residence in Hartland under house arrest with a curfew.
Hamilton was released on Feb. 20 with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle. She was placed under house arrest with a curfew at a residence in Woodstock.
Harris was charged with possession of a firearm while prohibited (a sawed-off shotgun), discharging a firearm at a place while reckless as to whether a person was present; possession of a prohibited firearm and ammunition without a licence, wearing a mask with intent to commit an offence; uttering threats against another man, breach of probation, pointing a gun at another person, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, and being an occupant of a vehicle (a half ton truck) knowing it carried a firearm.
Hamilton was charged with possession of a firearm while prohibited (a sawed-off shotgun), possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, discharging a firearm at a place while reckless as to whether a person was present, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition without a licence, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a gun.
The pair was arrested by the RCMP inside a garage in Pembroke after a blue half-ton truck was spotted leaving the scene of the shooting in Mainstream on Feb. 17.
Sentencing and trial adjourned
Crystal Lee Phillips, 44, of East Brighton, appeared in provincial court on Nov. 19 for trial on one set of charges and to set a sentencing date on others. All matters were adjourned to Jan. 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. for a monitoring hearing.
Phillips appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 29 for a bail hearing. She was released with conditions to a rehab facility in Shediac with an ankle bracelet and under full house arrest. The court heard she is enrolled in a 12-month program. On Nov. 19, her ankle bracelet was removed with the consent of the Crown.
Phillips was charged with breaching her release order and breaking into a dwelling house on July 8 in Upper Woodstock. She pleaded not guilty, and her trial date was set for Feb. 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Phillips pleaded guilty to resisting arrest on March 16 in Wilmot. Another charge of breaching her curfew (release order) on March 17 was withdrawn. She is still scheduled for trial on April 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. on an additional charge of breaching her curfew on Jan. 23 in Woodstock.
Phillips pleaded guilty to flight from police and driving while suspended on Feb. 24, 2024, in Jacksonville. The Crown withdrew another charge of dangerous driving. A separate charge of driving while suspended on Feb. 6, 2024, was also withdrawn.
Woodstock Police also charged her with fraudulent impersonation, using a credit card knowing it was obtained by fraudulent means, and defrauding Walmart in Woodstock between Aug. 10, 2019, and June 23, 2023. Her trial date was rescheduled for April 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Phillips also pleaded guilty to unlawful entry at a dwelling house and illegal possession of methamphetamine on March 31, 2024, in Woodstock. Her trial was booked for Feb. 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
