Two women from Grand Falls appeared in provincial court on July 4 to answer multiple counts of drug trafficking.
Lori Guest and Amber Gaunce stood together before Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean in Woodstock to answer five charges. They were each charged by RCMP with possession of cocaine, methamphetamine, nabilone, clonazepam, and magic mushrooms, all for the purpose of trafficking in connection with an incident on March 2 in Grand Falls. They return to court for plea on Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Judge McLean advised both accused to secure legal counsel immediately as convictions for drug trafficking result in a federal prison term.
Arrested and held for bail hearing
Tori Madeline Snow, 20, of Meductic, appeared in provincial court in custody on July 4 and was remanded to jail for a bail hearing by video on July 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Snow was charged by RCMP with assaulting another woman with a weapon (a metal bar), uttering threats, and theft of a safe, following an incident on June 19 at Meductic.
Snow was also charged with assault causing bodily harm to male person, committing mischief causing property damage, and break and enter at a dwelling house with intent to commit an assault, concerning another incident on July 3 at Meductic. She was arrested and taken into custody on July 3.
Canterbury man to stand trial in shooting, kidnapping case
Timothy Grant, 30, of Canterbury, appeared in provincial court on July 4 for monitoring about his upcoming trial on charges related to an alleged kidnapping. He confirmed he had secured legal counsel and would be ready to proceed to trial in September.
Grant pleaded not guilty to three charges in connection with an incident on Nov. 13, 2021, in Scott Siding. He was charged by RCMP with using a handgun to kidnap Chris DeMerchant, unlawful confinement, and assault. His two-day trial was set for Sept. 6-7 at 9:30 a.m.
A co-accused, Rodney Butler, 49, of Bulls Creek, pleaded not guilty to eight charges, stemming from an alleged kidnapping and the shooting death of Christine Pelletier-Thibodeau more than a year ago.
Dates for his five-day trial were set for Dec. 4, Dec. 6-8, and Dec. 11 at 9:30 a.m. A pre-trial conference was also scheduled for July 13 at 1:30 p.m.
Butler was charged by RCMP with reckless discharge of a firearm, assault, uttering threats, using a handgun to kidnap Chris DeMerchant, unlawful confinement, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, possession of a firearm without a license, and illegal possession of a firearm in a vehicle, following an incident on Nov. 13, 2021, at Bulls Creek.
On Nov. 14, 2021, RCMP was called to the scene of a fatal shooting on Route 165 at Bulls Creek. Pelletier-Thibodeau, 35, died as a result of her injuries. Over the next several days, police tape was erected around the property, including a residence surrounded by a vehicle salvage yard.
Charged with sexual assault
Cole Tweedie of Fredericton will appear for trial in provincial court on May 29-30, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to a sex charge.
Tweedie was charged by RCMP with sexual assault, stemming from an incident on June 18 at Beechwood. Defence Counsel Alex Carleton entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf during a court appearance on July 4.
Fined for impaired driving
Parker Loshaw, 21, of Harvey, was fined $1,500 and prohibited from driving for one year after pleading guilty on July 4 to impaired driving. He was also placed on probation for 12 months and was ordered to seek counselling for alcohol addiction.
Loshaw was charged by RCMP following an incident on April 9 at Wakefield. He had no prior criminal record. The court heard police spotted a loud car with a blown tire heading along Route 103 around 12:50 a.m. They later found LoShaw asleep behind the wheel on the side of the highway. The vehicle still had its headlights on. Police had to break out the passenger side window to unlock the car and wake the driver. Another charge of driving while suspended was withdrawn by the crown.
Arrested and released with conditions
James Robert Moore, 44, of Fredericton, appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on July 4 and was released with conditions. He was arrested on a warrant after he failed to appear for his trial in March.
Moore returns to court on Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m. to set a new date for his trial. Woodstock Police charged him with sexual assault concerning an incident in Woodstock on June 5, 2021. He entered his not-guilty plea at a court appearance in May 2022. Moore also failed to appear in court in for a default hearing about an unpaid fine. A warrant of committal was issued on that file.
Remanded on trafficking, extortion charges
Nathan Leon Godin, 29, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 4 after being denied bail. He returns to court for plea on Aug. 1 at 11 a.m. on multiple charges laid by RCMP including drug trafficking, extortion and firearm offences. On Tuesday, the court heard he needed more time to consult legal counsel before making his plea.
Godin appeared in provincial court in custody by video on June 22 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court. He was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, resisting arrest, possession of a prohibited weapon with ready ammunition, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm (a sawed-off shotgun), possession of a firearm dangerous to the public peace, improper storage of a firearm, and breach of a release order in connection with an incident on June 21 at Woodstock First Nation.
Godin was also charged with making threats to obtain money, possession of a weapon (a baton) for the purpose of committing an offence, committing mischief causing property damage to a window, and assaulting another man with a weapon (a baton), following an incident on June 20 at Woodstock First Nation. He was also charged with failing to appear in court on June 20. At that time, the court heard he owed a $2,000 fine and a warrant of committal was pending.
Godin was also charged by RCMP with driving while suspended, possession of a firearm without a licence, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, following an incident on May 1 at Woodstock First Nation.
He appeared in court in custody by video on April 5 and was released with conditions. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, flight from police, and possession of stolen licence plates for another incident on March 22 at Woodstock First Nation; possession of methamphetamine on April 2 near Woodstock; two counts of breaching a release order by failing to follow a curfew on March 31 and April 1 at Woodstock; and breaching an order to abstain from non-prescription drugs on April 2 at Woodstock.
York County man facing assault charge
Joshua Cordell Thornton, 42, of Central Waterville, York County, will appear in provincial court on Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge.
Thornton was charged by Woodstock Police with assault involving a female victim following an incident on May 21 in Woodstock. He was scheduled for plea on July 4 but the matter was adjourned to the new date to allow him more time to secure legal counsel.
Awaiting bail hearing
Curtis Brent Hatheway, 43, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 4 to set a date for his bail hearing. He returns to court for the hearing on July 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Hatheway was charged by Woodstock Police with assault involving a female victim, breach of probation, and breach of a release order, stemming from an incident on June 22 in Woodstock.
On June 6, Hatheway was arrested on a warrant and released with conditions. He was charged by Woodstock Police with assault with a weapon (a shovel), assault involving a female victim, breach of a release order, and breach of probation, following an incident on May 9 in Woodstock. No plea has yet been entered on the charges.
Bail hearing delayed
James Blair Hovey, 27, of Perth Andover, appeared in provincial court in custody on June 30 for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until July 10 at 9:30 a.m.
Hovey appeared in court in custody on June 27 after being arrested on a warrant. He was charged with breach of a release order by failing to attend court for plea on June 13.
Hovey appeared in provincial court in custody on May 18 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. On June 13, the court heard he was working outside the area near the Quebec border and could not get to court to make his plea.
Hovey was first arrested on a warrant on 12 charges. He was charged by RCMP with two counts of assault on a female victim, two counts of assault with a weapon (a knife and bear spray), three counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, pointing a firearm at another person, careless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm (a shotgun) without a licence, assault while threatening to use a weapon (a machete), and committing mischief causing property damage to an iPhone, laptop computer, and a flat-screen TV. The incidents occurred at Plaster Rock between Dec. 14 and Dec. 20, 2022, and between Feb. 1 and Feb. 28 of this
year.
He appeared in court in custody on May 1 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions but allegedly breached his release order. He was later charged with break and enter at a dwelling house and theft, concerning an incident on May 12.
Awaiting plea on five charges
Jamie Donald Lessard, 35, of Stickney, appeared in provincial court on July 4 for plea on five charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m. to allow him more time to secure legal counsel.
Lessard appeared in provincial court on June 15 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions following his arrest. He was in tears when he first appeared in court in custody by video on June 5 and was sent to Restigouche hospital for a five-day mental health assessment. On June 12, he appeared in court in custody by video and was found fit to stand trial.
Lessard told the court he agreed with the medical report from the hospital. He was charged with two counts of uttering threats, refusing a breathalyzer, impaired driving, and committing mischief causing property damage in connection with incidents on June 2 in Stickney and in Glassville. The court also heard about an alleged smash-up of a police lockup related to Lessard’s arrest.
Trial set for Bath man
Richard (Ricky) Denny, 60, of Bath, appeared in provincial court on July 4 for monitoring about his upcoming trial. He confirmed he had secured legal counsel and would be ready to proceed to trial in August.
Denny will appear for trial in provincial court on Aug. 23 at 1:30 p.m. after pleading not guilty to a theft charge. He was charged by RCMP with theft of a cell phone, concerning an incident on Feb. 19, 2022, in Bath. At an earlier court appearance, the crown offered to divert the charge to alternative measures but Denny did not complete the program and the case was sent to trial.
Awaiting plea on impaired driving charge
Chatawna Nicholas, 49, of Neqotkuk, (Tobique First Nation), will appear in provincial court on Aug. 1 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an impaired driving charge.
Nicholas was charged by RCMP in connection with an incident on March 19 at Neqotkuk. She appeared in provincial court on July 4 when the matter was adjourned to the new date to allow her more time to secure legal counsel.
Bail hearing this week
Jesse Adam Shaw, 32, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on July 6 at 9:30 a.m.
He was charged by Woodstock Police with breach of a release order by violating an order to have no contact with a female victim. He appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on June 19 and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was scheduled to return to court for plea on July 11 at 9:30 a.m. but was brought back into custody on June 26.
At his previous court appearance, he was charged by Woodstock Police with several offences including assault, uttering threats, and committing mischief concerning a series of incidents between April 20 and May 8, between May 1 and May 8, and between June 11 and June 14 in Woodstock.
Remanded for alleged breach of house arrest
Elizabeth Alice Davidson, 53, of Nackawic, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 4 for a hearing about an alleged breach of her house arrest. The matter was adjourned until July 11 at 11 a.m. She waived her bail and remains in custody.
Davidson appeared in provincial court for sentencing on May 25 and received eight months of house arrest. RCMP later charged her with breaching her house arrest and she was taken into custody.
Davidson changed her plea to guilty in April on two charges laid by Woodstock Police. She was charged with breaking into a dwelling house and theft of a Samsung tablet in connection with an incident on March 17, 2022, in Woodstock. She pleaded guilty to the theft and the lesser included offence of unlawful entry at a dwelling house. She had a prior criminal record.
She also pleaded guilty to more charges transferred from Saint John, including theft and two counts of breach of probation for incidents on June 7, 2021, and May 13, 2022.
Neqotkuk man returning for plea
Aaron Barclay Moulton, 38, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on July 4 to enter a plea on four charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until July 25 at 1:30 p.m.
Moulton appeared in provincial court in custody on April 24 and was released with conditions. He was charged by RCMP with assault, committing mischief, possession of a prohibited weapon (a taser), and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace following an incident on April 23 at Neqotkuk. He was ordered to report to the police weekly, stay away from the community youth centre, and have no weapons, alcohol or drugs in his possession.
Bail hearing rescheduled
James Edward Pickard, 30, of Perth-Andover, will appear in provincial court in custody by video for his bail hearing on July 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Pickard missed one court appearance because he was injured during an altercation with another inmate at the Madawaska jail and was seeing a specialist about reparative surgery. He did not specify what his injury involved but asked for his bail hearing to be delayed.
Pickard was charged by RCMP with assault with a weapon (a Japanese sword called a katana) and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence on April 29 at Perth-Andover; uttering threats and committing mischief on May 3 in Perth-Andover; and breach of an undertaking on May 6 in Perth-Andover.
Sentencing set for Centreville man
Brandon Jay Smith, 25, of Centreville, will appear for sentencing in provincial court on July 5 at 1:30 p.m. He appeared in provincial court on May 30 and pleaded guilty to a theft charge laid by RCMP.
Smith was charged with shoplifting at the Great Canadian Dollar Store in Florenceville-Bristol on Jan. 6.
Smith appeared in provincial court on April 18 and pleaded guilty to three other charges laid by RCMP. He also returns to court for sentencing on those charges on July 5 at 1:30 p.m.
Smith pleaded guilty to break and enter at a dwelling house, committing mischief causing property damage, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, concerning an incident on Jan. 26 near Holmesville. Two other charges were withdrawn by the crown.
Smith appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Jan. 31. He was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
