Sheena Sappier, 36, Keegan Paul, 32, and Ashley Paul, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared for sentencing in provincial court on Dec. 17 after changing their plea to guilty for their role in a kidnapping in the community last April.
Keegan Paul pleaded guilty to unlawful confinement, kidnapping with intent, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm. He was the driver of a vehicle in which the victim was tied up and held in the trunk.
Judge Scott Brittain sentenced Paul to two years of house arrest and 12 months of probation. He spent 45 days in remand, cooperated with police during the investigation, and gave evidence during the trial of co-accused Troy Pelkey.
Paul was also ordered to register with the federal DNA database and was prohibited from using firearms. His house arrest includes a 12-month curfew. He had no prior criminal record.
Sheena Sappier and Ashley Paul were each charged with kidnapping a female victim, unlawful confinement, attempting to obstruct justice by disposing of evidence, and theft of a motor vehicle. The court heard the victim’s car was stolen and burned during the commission of the offence.
Both women pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle and attempting to obstruct justice by disposing of evidence. The Crown withdrew the remaining two charges.
Sappier was sentenced to one year of house arrest and must pay $493 in restitution for transactions made on the victim’s credit card, taken from her purse on the night of the kidnapping. Sappier must also register with the federal DNA database. Her house arrest includes a six-month curfew.
Sappier had a dated prior criminal record and spent 37 days in remand. The court heard that she also cooperated with police during the investigation and gave evidence at the trial of co-accused Troy Pelkey.
Ashley Paul was sentenced to 18 months in jail and 12 months of probation. She also pleaded guilty to other unrelated charges, including assaulting another woman while in custody at the Miramichi jail on May 30, 2024, and breaking into a dwelling house on March 21, 2025, at Craig’s Flats, when two TVs and a laptop were stolen. The Crown withdrew five other charges.
She spent 111 days in remand and must also register with the federal DNA database and continue counselling for addiction.
Troy Pelkey, 56, of Tilley, is scheduled to appear in provincial court on Dec. 30 at 1:30 p.m. for a verdict following his trial on charges related to the kidnapping. His trial before Judge Anne Marie Richard concluded with closing arguments on Oct. 6. Pelkey remains in custody.
He pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, uttering threats, forcible confinement, extortion with violence to obtain $10,000, pointing a firearm at a female victim, and unauthorized possession of a firearm between April 27 and April 29, 2024.
Three other men from Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) involved in the kidnapping were each sentenced to federal prison on Oct. 3. Jacob Perley, 35, Adam Perley, 34, and Preston Sockabasin, 29, appeared in provincial court in custody. They pleaded guilty to multiple offences.
Jacob Perley was handed six years in prison, minus 310 days for time served. Adam Perley was sentenced to three years in prison, minus 771 days for time served. Preston Sockabasin was sentenced to four years in prison, minus 315 days for time served.
The court heard their violent actions were premeditated, fuelled by drugs, and motivated by financial gain because Pelkey allegedly offered a bounty for snaring the victim. Once caught, she was given 30 days to pay a debt, or she would die.
A 54-year-old Aroostook woman testified she was kidnapped, gagged, beaten, and tortured for two days at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) last April. She begged for her life during the last hours of her captivity and then crawled out of a body bag in the trunk of a car and ran for help. She said she lives with long-term physical injuries and deep emotional trauma caused by the experience.
Remanded for plea
Brodey O’Donnell, 22, of Campbell Settlement, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Dec. 18 for a bail hearing. He waived his bail until later and will return to court in custody for plea on Jan. 8, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
O’Donnell was charged by the RCMP with assaulting police, uttering threats, and resisting arrest for an incident on July 17 at Campbell Settlement.
He appeared in provincial court in custody in Woodstock on Aug. 19 after being arrested on a warrant on charges in Edmundston. He faces another charge of resisting arrest for an altercation with sheriffs at the courthouse on Aug. 19.
O’Donnell also appeared in provincial court in custody via video for a bail hearing in Woodstock on July 28 and was released. He was later returned to custody and charged with failing to attend court in Woodstock.
On Oct. 30, a new charge of breaching his release order (curfew) was laid by the RCMP for an incident on Sept. 26 at Campbell Settlement.
Kintore man awaiting trial
Gunner Gray, 24, of Upper Kintore, will appear for trial in provincial court on March 18, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was booked during a court appearance on Dec. 16.
Gray was charged with resisting arrest, flight from police and four violations of the Motor Vehicle Act for incidents on Feb. 25, April 8 and July 22. The court heard that the Crown will seek jail time on the charges. A monitoring date for his trial was set for Jan. 18, 2026.
Sentencing on several charges
Bonnie Noel, 56, of Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court on Dec. 19 and changed her plea to guilty on several charges laid by the RCMP. Her sentencing date was booked for March 17, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Noel pleaded guilty to breaching three undertakings (no-contact) between Jan. 21, 2024, and Aug. 6, 2024, at North Lake, Canterbury and Jacksonville; guilty to assault on a male victim and breach of a peace bond on Aug. 6, 2024 at Jacksonville; guilty to two counts of assault on Aug. 6, 2024, at Canterbury; and guilty to two counts of failing to appear in court between March 14 and June 13. The Crown withdrew several other charges.
She appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Sept. 11 after being arrested on a warrant. Following a bail hearing, she was released with conditions. She told the court she had been in Ontario but surrendered to police upon her return.
Guilty of impaired driving
Paige Catherine Weaver, 32, of Weston Road, appeared for trial in provincial court on Dec. 19 after pleading not guilty to impaired driving. She was found guilty after trial and was fined $2,000. A one-year driving prohibition was also imposed.
Woodstock Police charged Weaver in connection with an incident on May 11, 2024, in Woodstock.
Windsor man charged
Dwight Thornton, 71, of Windsor, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to answer two charges laid by the RCMP.
Thornton was charged with assault involving a female victim and uttering threats concerning an incident on Nov. 22 at Windsor. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 16 when the matter was adjourned for plea to the new date.
Returning for plea
Colton James VanHorne, 27, of Hartley Settlement, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. for plea on two charges.
VanHorne was charged by the RCMP with assault causing bodily harm to a female victim on May 30 at Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation). Woodstock Police also charged him with impaired driving on June 25 in Woodstock. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 16 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Alleged assault at Neqotkuk
Brydon Nicholas, 20, of Perth-Andover, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to answer an assault charge.
Nicholas was charged by the RCMP stemming from an incident on Nov. 1 at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation). He made his first court appearance on Dec. 16 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Sexual assault charge
Dana Allison MacKay, 42, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to enter a plea on a sex charge.
Woodstock Police charged MacKay with sexual assault in connection with an incident on Sept. 21, 2019, in Woodstock. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 16 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Hartland man appears
Ryan Woodward, 42, of Hartland, appeared in provincial court on Dec. 16 to answer four charges laid by local police. The matter was adjourned for plea until Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Woodward was charged with two counts of driving while suspended on Aug. 23 at Wakefield and on Sept. 3 in Woodstock. He was also charged with dangerous driving and flight from police on Sept. 3.
Awaiting plea
Joshua Williams, 28, of Centreville, will appear in provincial court on Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. to answer an assault charge.
The RCMP charged Williams with assault involving a female victim concerning an incident on Aug. 23 in Centreville. He made his first court appearance on Dec. 16 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Dangerous driving
Joshua Perley, 24, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on Dec. 16 to answer a dangerous driving charge. The matter was adjourned for plea until Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
The RCMP charged Perley following an incident on Aug. 20 in Perth-Andover.
Break-in on Searle Street
Two men remain in custody to await their bail hearings on charges related to a break-in on Searle Street on Nov. 24.
Bastian Bradbury of Fredericton and Michael Ronald McKee of Woodstock were each charged with breaking into a woodworking shop, possession of stolen tools, possession of a stolen vehicle (a Mazda CX5), possession of break-in tools, and prowling at night. Bradbury also faces a charge of wearing a mask while committing an offence.
Bradbury returns to court in custody on Jan. 8, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., while McKee will appear in custody for his bail hearing on Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m. The court heard they are also in custody on other charges in Fredericton, where McKee is scheduled to have another bail hearing on Dec. 22.
Arrest warrant issued
The court issued an arrest warrant for Christopher Thomas O’Keefe, 27, of Fielding, after he failed to appear in provincial court on Dec. 18 for his trial on a sexual assault charge.
O’Keefe was charged by the RCMP with sexual assault in connection with an incident on Feb. 26, 2023, at Upper Brighton. He pleaded not guilty.
Agreed to peace bond
Richard Sheppard, 52, of Maplehurst, appeared in provincial court on Dec. 17 to set a date for his trial on an assault charge. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond, and the trial was cancelled.
The RCMP charged Sheppard with assault involving a female victim concerning an incident on Sept. 10 at Maplehurst. The peace bond will result in the charge being withdrawn.
Trial continues in January
Jessica Brewer, 35, of Wakefield, appeared for trial in provincial court on Dec. 17 after pleading not guilty to two assault charges laid by the RCMP. After one day of testimony, her trial was adjourned for continuation on Jan. 21, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Brewer was charged with assault on a minor and assault with a weapon (plates, spoons and a chair) in connection with an incident between Jan. 1, 2019, and May 20, 2024, in Wakefield.
Trial adjourned to new date
Mitchell Hillman, 36, of Wilmot, appeared for trial in provincial court on Dec. 17 after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by Woodstock Police. Due to scheduling issues, the trial was adjourned until March 16, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Hillman was charged with assault involving a female victim and uttering threats on Sept. 16, 2024, in Woodstock.
At an earlier court appearance, Hillman pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving, flight from police and obstruction for an incident on March 13 in Woodstock. His trial date was set for July 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Guilty of impaired driving
Michael Feaver, 44, of Gordonsville, appeared for sentencing in provincial court on Dec. 16 after pleading guilty to an impaired driving charge.
The RCMP charged Feaver following an incident on May 31 in Fielding. His sentencing was adjourned until Jan. 29, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Sentencing reset
Bryden Till, 20, of Perth-Andover, will appear for sentencing in provincial court on March 10, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. after pleading guilty to a threat charge.
The RCMP charged Till with uttering threats against another man in connection with an incident on March 3 at Perth-Andover. He appeared in court on Dec. 16 when a new date was booked for his sentencing hearing.
At an earlier court appearance, he pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of dangerous driving and will stand trial on May 6, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Plea and sentencing set
Caleb Wavel Crain, 42, of Piercemont, appeared in provincial court on Dec. 17 for a monitoring hearing. He is awaiting plea on one set of charges and sentencing on another. All matters were adjourned until January.
Woodstock Police charged Crain with carelessly transporting a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence (a semi-automatic rifle), and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, following an incident on June 19 in Woodstock. He will enter a plea on Jan. 6, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Crain was also charged with assault causing bodily harm to a female victim, unlawful confinement, and uttering threats following an incident on Dec. 10, 2022, near Florenceville-Bristol.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser included offence of common assault and guilty to uttering threats. The Crown withdrew the confinement charge. He returns to court for sentencing on those charges on Jan. 15, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Wotstak man remains in custody
Greg Paul McCormick, 36, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Dec. 17 for a monitoring hearing after pleading not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was confirmed for March 30-31, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
McCormick was denied bail when he appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Sept. 8. He was charged by RCMP with arson causing damage to a dwelling house, three counts of uttering threats, breaking into a dwelling house to commit mischief, three counts of assaulting a police officer while threatening to use gasoline, and causing injury to a dog by choking it in connection with an incident on June 25 at Wotstak.
He appeared in court on July 4 for a fitness hearing following a five-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche hospital. He was found fit to stand trial in accordance with his medical report.
