Wotstak man sentenced for arson, threatening police
A Wotstak man has been sentenced to more jail time for setting a house on fire and threatening to throw gasoline on police officers.
Greg Paul McCormick, 36, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody for sentencing on Aug. 21 after changing his plea to guilty on several charges laid by the RCMP.
Judge Rose Campbell sentenced McCormick to 27 months in jail, minus time served. Once his 635 days of remand time is applied, he will have six months left behind bars. He was also placed on 12 months of probation following his release and was ordered to register with the federal DNA database. The judge said he was also prohibited from owning animals for one year.
McCormick was arrested in June 2025 and denied bail when he appeared in provincial court via video in custody on Sept. 8, 2025.
McCormick pleaded guilty to arson causing damage to a dwelling house, uttering threats, breaking into a dwelling house to commit mischief, assaulting police while threatening to use gasoline, and causing injury to a dog by choking it in connection with an incident on June 25, 2025, at Wotstak. The Crown withdrew three other charges.
During final submissions, Crown Prosecutor Sean Corscadden told the court McCormick was involved in a dispute with his neighbours and stormed into their residence, where he made threats, choked their dog, and threw gasoline. Police were called and located McCormick back at home. He set the house ablaze with gasoline, refused to leave with police, and told them to shoot him. His mother fled the premises with her foot on fire while police grabbed a fire extinguisher from the trunk of a police cruiser and put out the flames.
McCormick was found by police outside in the backyard where he was still holding a jug of gasoline and a torch. He refused to surrender and threatened to throw gas at the officers. Police used a taser to make their arrest, and McCormick was taken to hospital for a mental health check. A video from a police body camera was shown in court detailing the incident at the McCormick home.
Defence Counsel Dennis Sawyer argued McCormick was having a mental breakdown at the time of the offence. Sawyer stressed no one’s house burned down and there were no serious injuries.
“It is abundantly clear he was suffering from a breakdown at the time,” said Sawyer. “He has been in jail for a long time and is undergoing counselling for mental health and addiction which will continue with community support.”
“I have great remorse for what I have done and I was not myself that day,” McCormick told the judge.
He appeared in court on July 4, 2025, 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. McCormick had a prior criminal record.
Woodstock man awaiting sentence
Justin Ryan Shea, 36, of Woodstock, appeared for sentencing in provincial court on Aug. 21 after being found guilty after trial on two drug trafficking charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Shea was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking in connection with incidents in Woodstock on June 3, 2024, and May 2, 2024.
Judge Rose Campbell found him guilty on July 2. After hearing final submissions from the Crown and defence counsel on Friday, Campbell reserved her decision on sentence until Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Crown Prosecutor Derek Weaver recommended Shea receive a sentence of 24 to 36 months in federal prison, followed by 12 months of probation. The Crown also requested Shea register with the federal DNA database and that he be prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years. He had a prior criminal record.
Defence Counsel Dennis Sawyer told the court Shea was a street-level trafficker and described his client’s criminal activities as being on the “low end and of low complexity.” Sawyer said Shea should receive a two-year sentence of house arrest so he could continue to work full-time and care for his family.
During final submissions, the court heard details of a police operation at a residence on St. Gertrude Street in Woodstock when Shea sold an undercover officer two baggies of crystal meth valued at $40.
About a month later, police executed a search warrant at the same residence and seized a quantity of methamphetamine, scales, and drug paraphernalia as well as Shea’s cell phone, which contained evidence about drug transactions.
He was also charged with break, enter and theft at a dwelling house on Creighton Street on Sept. 26, 2024, and breaching an undertaking (curfew) on Aug. 14, 2025.
Shea pleaded guilty to the lesser-included offence of possession of stolen property and to the curfew breach. His sentencing on these two charges will take place when he returns to court on Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Held for bail hearing
Zachery Don Brooks, 21, of Lower Brighton, appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Aug. 21 after being arrested by RCMP on new charges only one day after resolving others. Judge Rose Campbell remanded Brooks to jail to await a bail hearing on Aug. 24 at 9:30 a.m.
Brooks was charged with assault by choking involving a female victim, breach of a no-contact order, uttering threats, and assault causing bodily harm in connection with an incident on Aug. 20 in Lower Brighton.’
Brooks appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 21 and changed his plea to guilty on three of 14 other charges. His sentencing date was set for Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Brooks was charged with three counts of assault involving a female victim, three counts of assault by choking, one count unlawful confinement, two counts of uttering threats, assault with a weapon (a phone cord), assault while threatening to use a weapon (a knife), possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, and two counts of breaching a release order (no contact).
The charges were laid in connection with a series of incidents on Nov. 24, 2024, Feb. 12, Feb. 17, May 28, June 9, June 10 and June 11, 2025, in Lower Brighton; on June 3 and June 5, 2025, in Hartland.
He pleaded guilty to unlawful confinement and guilty to two counts of the lesser included offence of common assault. The remaining 11 charges were withdrawn by the Crown. The court heard details of a woman being threatened, knocked to the ground, dragged into a house, and held at knifepoint. She was able to send a text message for help, then delete it from her phone.
Brooks also appeared in provincial court on May 19 and pleaded not guilty to six more charges laid by the RCMP. His trial was booked for July 12, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. A monitoring hearing was also set for March 16, 2027, at 9:30 a.m.
He pleaded not guilty to breaching a no-contact order, uttering threats, assault involving a female victim, assault with a weapon (a broom and a board), assault by choking and mischief causing property damage to a cell phone on Oct. 28, 2025, at Lower Brighton.
Decision pending after trial
Patrick Campbell, 29, of Carlingford, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 19 for a trial verdict after pleading not guilty to multiple charges laid by the RCMP.
Judge Henrik Tonning adjourned his decision until Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m. in order to have more time to review the trial transcripts. The Crown invited an acquittal on all but two charges of assault and assault causing bodily harm. Defence Counsel was Alex Carleton.
Campbell was charged with breaching a no-contact order and obstructing the course of justice following an incident on March 3, 2025, at Carlingford. He pleaded not guilty and was released with conditions.
Campbell also pleaded not guilty to other charges of sexual assault involving a female victim, assault causing bodily harm, assault by choking, assault with a weapon (a knife), attempting to obstruct justice, and administering a noxious substance, in connection with incidents between 2020 and 2024 in Victoria County.
Sentencing on sex charges
Benjamin Greer, 27, of Weston, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 19 and changed his plea to guilty on two sex charges laid by the RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m.
Greer appeared in provincial court via video in custody on March 13, 2025, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions.
He was charged with sexual assault, touching a minor for a sexual purpose, making sexually explicit material available to a minor, invitation to sexual touching, accessing child pornography, and using a computer system to facilitate an offence in connection with incidents between Aug. 1, 2024, and Jan. 31, 2025. at Teeds Mill. He also faced an additional charge of uttering threats to a female victim.
On Aug. 19, Greer pleaded guilty to touching a minor for sexual purposes and invitation to sexual touching and the remaining charges were withdrawn by the Crown.
Suspended sentence, probation
Ian Washburn, 55, of Fredericton, formerly of Holmesville, was handed a suspended sentence and 12 months of probation when he appeared in provincial court for sentencing on Aug. 20. He changed his plea to guilty on two charges laid by the RCMP.
Washburn pleaded guilty to assaulting another man and committing an indecent act in connection with an incident on Oct. 13, 2024, in Oakland. A second assault charge was withdrawn by the Crown.
The court heard details of a violent altercation between Washburn and another man inside an apartment at the Ark housing complex. As Washburn was leaving the premises, he stopped to urinate in the yard in front of the victim.
Defence Counsel Alex Carleton told the court the incident amounted to “drunken foolishness” caused by Washburn’s long-time problem with alcohol. Judge Rose Campbell ordered the accused to seek counselling and treatment for alcohol addiction and ordered him to have no further contact with the victim.
Washburn apologized for his actions and informed the judge he was sober, on a “straighter path” and working full-time. He had a prior criminal record.
Glassville man to stand trial
Timothy Maurice Thibodeau, 42, of Glassville, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 21 for a monitoring hearing about his trial after pleading not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. His trial was set for Sept. 21 at 1:30 p.m. Another monitoring hearing was scheduled for Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m. to confirm he has legal counsel to proceed.
Thibodeau pleaded not guilty to possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking on Nov. 28, 2023, in Oakland, uttering threats on Sept. 4, 2023, at Hartland, and failing to appear in court on Oct. 24, 2024.
Assault charge withdrawn
Lewis Broad, 65, of Holmesville, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 20 after pleading not guilty to an assault charge laid by the RCMP.
Broad was charged with assaulting another man on Feb. 11, 2025, in Florenceville-Bristol. The Crown withdrew the charge, and the trial was cancelled.
Released with conditions
Jeffrey Richard Bull, 45, of Newburg, appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Aug. 20 and was released with conditions.
Bull was charged by the RCMP with breaching his release order (curfew) for an incident on Aug. 8 at Newburg. He returns to court for plea on Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Bull also appeared in provincial court on July 16 for the continuation of his trial after pleading not guilty to a separate charge of hitting another man with a baseball bat.
After hearing closing submissions from Crown Prosecutor Charles Couturier and Defence Counsel Alex Pate, Judge Leslie Jackson reserved his decision on a verdict until Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Bull was charged by Woodstock Police with aggravated assault and breach of probation concerning an incident on Sept. 8, 2024, at 2 a.m., when a man suffered a broken elbow after being struck by a bat on St. James Street in Woodstock.
During the trial, the male victim testified he was home partying with friends when Bull began yelling about the noise from across the street. The man said he approached Bull to talk to him when the alleged attack occurred. He said he fainted after being hit with the bat as Bull left the scene. Bull testified he was acting in self-defence because the man made an aggressive gesture by removing his shirt and swinging a punch toward Bull.
Sentencing set
Bianca Laqua, 35, of Woodstock, was found guilty after trial on Aug. 20 on a breathalyzer charge laid by Woodstock Police. Her sentencing date was set for Nov. 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Laqua was charged with refusing a breathalyzer in connection with an incident on Sept. 21, 2024, in Woodstock.
Judge Rose Campbell found her guilty and ruled Laqua’s testimony about having asthma and anxiety, and not being able to give a breath sample, was not proven with medical evidence. During the trial, the court heard police initiated the signals for Laqua to pull over, but she travelled for two blocks and nearly hit a curb before coming to a stop around 1:30 a.m. There were passengers in the vehicle with her.
Trial in October
Cole Wade Gray, 24, of Upper Kintore, will appear for trial in provincial court on Oct. 9 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP.
He appeared for trial on Aug. 21 when the matter was adjourned to the new date. Gray pleaded not guilty to theft of lumber between July 21, 2023, and July 23, 2023, in Johnville. Another charge of unlawful entry at a dwelling house was withdrawn by the Crown. He also pleaded not guilty to breaching curfew and breaching a release order between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1, 2023, at Aroostook.
Gray also pleaded not guilty to two counts of mischief and uttering threats concerning an incident on March 18, 2025, at Lower Kintore. He was released on an undertaking until his trial.
Released on undertaking
Muhammed Iqbal, 42, of Somerville, will appear for trial in provincial court on Oct. 5 at 1:30 p.m. after pleading not guilty to five charges laid by the RCMP.
Iqbal was charged with uttering threats on May 10 in Somerville; three counts of assault and assault by choking between July 1 and July 31 in Somerville. His trial was scheduled for Aug. 21 but was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel. He was released on an undertaking until his next appearance.
Not-guilty verdict
Kelsey Janetta Brooker, 31, of Florenceville-Bristol, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 19 after pleading not guilty to four charges laid by the RCMP. The Crown called no evidence, and Brooker received a directed verdict of not guilty.
Brooker was charged with shoplifting and breach of probation on March 3, 2025,at BMR Hardware in Hartland, and possession of a stolen truck and breach of probation on Feb. 11, 2025, at Pokiok.
Brooker has another trial set for Oct. 1 at 9:30 a.m. She pleaded not guilty to theft from the Walmart on Connell Street in Woodstock, in connection with an incident in July 2024. The charge was laid by Woodstock Police.
