Denied bail on slew of charges
Timothy Brian Wheelan, 39, of Jacksonville, was denied bail when he appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Dec. 4 to face a raft of charges. He returns to court in custody for plea on Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m.
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 when a spike belt was used to stop a speeding vehicle heading toward Woodstock.
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 four 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.
Held in custody
Kristen Hamilton Smith, 34, of Carlingford, appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Dec. 5 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to attend court in November. She waived her bail until later and was remanded to jail.
Hamilton-Smith was charged with breach of a release order for violating electronic monitoring and for mischief, causing property damage to her ankle bracelet, stemming from an incident on May 17 in East Brighton. She returns to court in custody for plea on Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
She appeared in custody via video on Oct. 28 and was released with conditions. Hamilton-Smith was charged with possession of a stolen truck on June 27 in Canterbury; three counts of theft from businesses in Plaster Rock and Perth-Andover on Oct. 27; and two counts of mischief, break and enter, flight from police, and dangerous driving for an incident on Oct. 23 in Perth-Andover.
120 days left to serve
William (Billy) Harding, 35, of Plaster Rock, appeared in provincial court in custody via video for sentencing on Dec. 4 after pleading guilty to several charges laid by the RCMP. He will have 120 days left to serve once his remand time is applied.
Harding was denied bail on July 30. He appeared in court in custody by video on July 29 for a fitness hearing following a 30-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche hospital. He was found fit to stand trial.
He pleaded guilty to unlawful entry at a dwelling house, mischief causing damage to his ankle bracelet, and one count of breaching his release order on June 7 in Perth-Andover.
Harding was also charged by Woodstock Police with theft from the Superstore and breach of probation following an incident on Sept. 10, 2024, in Woodstock. He pleaded guilty to both offences. He was sentenced to jail for those two charges during an earlier court appearance in Edmundston.
In addition, he entered a guilty plea to possession of a stolen backpack for a separate incident on Sept. 10, 2024, at the Woodstock Courthouse.
He also pleaded guilty to theft of a laptop from Social Development in Perth-Andover on March 12, 2024; breach of probation on March 20, 2024; and breach of probation by failing to report between Dec. 12, 2023, and Sept. 3, 2024.
Harding also pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon (a knife) involving a male victim on May 11 at Perth Andover. The Crown withdrew one other weapons charge. A hearing will be held on Dec. 15 at 9:30 a.m. before a decision on the assault charge can be made. He had a prior criminal record.
720 days of house arrest
Douglas Thomas Defazio, 37, of Moncton, was handed 720 days of house arrest when he appeared for sentencing in provincial court on Dec. 4 after pleading guilty to charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Judge Melanie Poirier-LeBlanc also placed him on two years of probation and ordered him to register with the federal DNA database. Defazio will be permitted to attend work or school during his house arrest, and during the last 365 days, he will be required to follow a curfew.
Defazio was previously released with conditions following a bail hearing and was ordered to enter rehab. He was arrested by Woodstock Police shortly after a stolen boat crashed on the rocks of the Meduxnekeag River, where the vessel was abandoned, and the suspect swam to shore.
Defazio spent 57 days in remand before his release. He pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful entry at a dwelling house and two counts of breach of probation in connection with break-ins at two different residences on Grant Street and Houlton Street on July 10, 2024. He had a prior criminal record. The Crown withdrew a mischief charge.
Sentencing in March
Lisa Marie Barrett, 49, of Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court on Dec. 4 and changed her plea to guilty on two charges laid by the RCMP. Her sentencing was set for March 3, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Barrett was charged with uttering threats and obstructing the course of justice for an incident on Aug. 24, 2024, at Wicklow. She was released on an undertaking.
She also appeared in provincial court in June to set a trial date after pleading not guilty to an assault charge laid by Woodstock Police. Her trial will be held on June 3, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Barrett was charged with assault involving a male victim in connection with an incident on Aug. 4, 2024, at Woodstock. A monitoring date for her trial was scheduled for April 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Returning for plea
Michael Thomas Solomon, 52, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), will appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge laid by the RCMP.
Solomon was charged with assaulting another man in connection with an incident on Sept. 1 at Neqotkuk. He was released on an undertaking on Dec. 2 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Community service work
Tina Eccleston, 50, of Plaster Rock, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 9:30 a.m. to answer a breach of probation charge.
RCMP charged Eccleston after allegedly failing to complete 20 hours of community service work on Feb. 9 in Plaster Rock as part of her probation order.
She made her first court appearance on Dec. 2 when the matter was adjourned for plea to the new date. The court heard that community service was ordered as a result of her conviction for shoplifting.
Awaiting trial date
Richard Sheppard, 52, of Maplehurst, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 9:30 a.m. to set a date for his trial on an assault charge.
RCMP charged Sheppard with assault involving a female victim concerning an incident on Sept. 10 at Maplehurst. He entered his not-guilty plea at his first court appearance on Dec. 2.
Facing four charges
Cole Chenoweth, 43, of Teeds Mill, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on four charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Chenoweth was charged with refusing a breathalyzer, impaired driving, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer on Aug. 2 in Woodstock. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 2 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Government-owned lawnmowers
Timothy Cullins, 49, of Oakland, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 6, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to set a date for his trial on a stolen property charge.
Cullins pleaded not guilty to possession of three stolen riding lawnmowers owned by the provincial Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, in connection with an incident on Sept. 2 in Oakland. He entered his not-guilty plea at his first court appearance on Dec. 2.
Impaired driving charge
John Ennis, 59, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), will appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 9:30 a.m. to answer an impaired driving charge.
Ennis was charged by the RCMP stemming from an incident at Neqotkuk. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 2 when the matter was adjourned for plea to the new date.
Woodstock man facing sex charge
Michael Charles Denny, 33, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on two charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Denny was charged with sexual assault involving a female victim between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15 and uttering threats on Feb. 15 in Woodstock. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 2 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Trial reset on firearm charges
Brandon Chappell, 28, of Plaster Rock, will appear for trial in provincial court on May 22, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. after pleading not guilty to four charges laid by the RCMP. The new trial date was confirmed at his court appearance on Dec. 5.
Chappell appeared in provincial court in January while in custody and was released on 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.
Trial adjourned
Shawn Carmichael, 63, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared for trial in provincial court on Dec. 5 after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by the RCMP. The trial was adjourned until March 25, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. at the request of the Crown.
Carmichael was charged with assault involving a female victim and assault with a weapon in relation to an incident on Oct. 4, 2024, at Neqotkuk. He was released on an undertaking until his trial.
Released until sentencing
Calvin Joseph Nicholas, 54, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Dec. 4 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court.
Nicholas was charged with failing to report his whereabouts to the national sex offender registry on July 14 in Woodstock. He pleaded not guilty and was released with conditions.
Nicholas pleaded guilty in October to driving while impaired by drugs, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of hydromorphone in connection with an incident on May 30, 2024, at Neqotkuk. His sentencing date was set for Jan. 6, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Remanded after bail hearing
Morgan Nicholas, 28, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Dec. 4 and was denied bail. He returns to court in custody for plea on Dec. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
He was charged with resisting arrest following an altercation on Nov. 29 at a residence in Neqotkuk. The Crown withdrew another charge of breaching his release order.
Nicholas has another court appearance in February. He and Brandon Michael Francis, 30, both of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared for trial in provincial court on Nov. 13 and changed their pleas to guilty on several charges laid by the RCMP.
Francis appeared in court in custody. At that time, Nicholas was released with conditions after a bail hearing in September. Francis will be sentenced on Dec. 24 at 9:30 a.m. A sentencing date for Nicholas was scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Nicholas pleaded guilty to failing to attend court and assault causing bodily harm to a correctional officer on Jan. 21, 2024, at Madawaska. He also pleaded guilty to theft from a gas bar on May 25 in Perth-Andover, and two counts of breaching his house arrest on June 3 and Sept. 9 at Neqotkuk.
Nicholas and Francis were both charged with breaking into a dwelling house, mischief, causing property damage to a door and window, uttering threats, and assaulting another man with a wooden two-by-four in connection with an incident on April 29 at Neqotkuk. The Crown withdrew the charges against Nicholas for that incident. Francis pleaded guilty to the mischief charge, breach of probation, and resisting arrest. The remaining charges against him were withdrawn.
Francis also pleaded guilty to breaching his release order by violating the conditions of electronic monitoring and mischief, causing damage to his ankle bracelet on May 1 in Perth-Andover, and breaching his house arrest on May 8 at Perth-Andover. He was denied bail on Aug. 19.
