Federal prison sentence for Jacksonville man
A Jacksonville man was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison, minus time served, after appearing in provincial court via video in custody on Aug. 13.
Timothy Brian Wheelan, 39, of Jacksonville, will have 28 months left to serve once his 414 days of remand time is applied to his sentence. He has been in custody since his arrest in November 2025.
In addition to a prison sentence, Judge Rose Campbell also ordered Wheelan to register with the federal DNA database and prohibited him from possessing firearms for 10 years. The court heard he struggled with drug addiction and turned to criminality that cost him his construction business.
Judge Campbell noted this was Wheelan’s first time in jail. He had a limited prior criminal record and showed little remorse for his recent actions, the judge said.
Wheelan pleaded guilty to possession of ecstasy for the purpose of trafficking, indictable possession of cocaine, and indictable possession of fentanyl for an incident on June 13, 2025, when a search warrant was executed at his residence in Jacksonville. The Crown withdrew one other charge.
Wheelan also pleaded to two counts of storing firearms in a careless manner and possession of firearms without a licence on June 13, 2025, in Woodstock and Jacksonville. The Crown withdrew seven other charges.
The court heard a stockpile of rifles and ammunition was seized by Woodstock Police after a search of a garage in Woodstock. A handgun, a sawed-off shotgun, and ammunition were also seized by RCMP during the search of the Jacksonville residence, along with a stash of various narcotics found in a container on the kitchen table. All guns and items seized were forfeited to the Crown.
At an earlier court appearance, Wheelan pleaded guilty to other separate charges of uttering threats against a female victim on April 10, 2025, in Woodstock, and guilty to uttering threats against two other women on Aug. 12, 2025, at Jacksonville. The Crown withdrew two other charges. He was ordered to have no contact with the victims.
Wheelan was denied bail on Nov. 20, 2025. He also changed his plea to guilty for breaching his curfew on Sept. 23, 2025, at Carlingford, and to guilty of breach of an undertaking (no weapons), possession of a stolen utility trailer, and resisting arrest on Nov. 17, 2025, at Meductic. The Crown withdrew three more charges.
The court heard Wheelan was spotted on the highway towing a trailer that was stolen in Fredericton. A police chase ensued through the Town of Woodstock and all the way to St. Thomas before Wheelan’s vehicle hit a snowbank and he tried to flee on foot. Two male passengers known to police were travelling with him at the time.
A co-accused, Samuel Robert Crewe, 31, pleaded guilty to indictable possession of methamphetamine in connection with the drug bust at Wheelan’s Jacksonville. Crewe was sentenced on July 30 to 45 days in jail consecutive to time he is already serving in a federal prison for other offences. The Crown withdrew three other charges.
Crewe was sentenced to three years in federal prison, minus time served, when he appeared in provincial court via video in custody on Jan. 26. He pleaded guilty to a raft of drug and theft charges, as well as driving offences, laid by Woodstock Police and the RCMP. He had a prior criminal record.
210 days or time served
Blake Evan Donald Wilson, 33, of Fredericton, was sentenced to 210 days in jail or time served when he appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Aug. 12 on charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Judge Rose Campbell also ordered him to register with the federal DNA database and placed him on 12 months of probation. He must also seek counselling for drug addiction and stay away from the Canadian Tire Store in Woodstock.
Wilson pleaded guilty to break and enter at Canadian Tire, mischief causing property damage to a store fence, and breach of a release order (no contact) on March 23 in Woodstock. He also pleaded guilty to fraudulent impersonation and breach of a release order (no contact) in connection with another incident on March 22 in Woodstock. Another obstruction charge on March 22 was stayed.
The court heard Wilson also had a court appearance on other charges in Fredericton. He had a bail hearing and was held in custody. Wilson had a lengthy prior criminal record.
Defence Counsel Dennis Sawyer told the court Wilson struggles with meth addiction and homelessness and drifts back and forth between Fredericton and Woodstock. During the incident at the Canadian Tire, Wilson rode up to the outdoor compound on a bicycle around 5 a.m., gained access over the fence, and rummaged through a dumpster. The incident was caught on video.
Charges stayed
William McKinney, 45, of Benton, appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 12 after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by the RCMP. The charges were stayed by Judge Rose Campbell due to unreasonable delay in bringing the matter to trial. Both the Crown and defence agreed to drop the case.
McKinney was charged with impaired driving and flight from police concerning an incident on Sept. 10, 2024, in Benton.
Change of plea
Brandon Chappell, 28, of Plaster Rock, will appear for sentencing in provincial court on Aug. 18 at 1:30 p.m. after changing his plea to guilty on one charge laid by the RCMP.
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 firearms 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.
He pleaded guilty to the threat charge, and the Crown withdrew the remaining charges.
New trial date
Craig Laskey, 36, of Jacksonville, was scheduled to appear in provincial court for a pre-trial hearing on Aug. 13 in preparation for his trial on three charges laid by the RCMP. The matter was adjourned to Sept. 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of Defence Counsel David Estey.
Laskey was charged with sexual assault for an incident on Aug. 14, 2024, in Jacksonville, and assault by choking and mischief on Aug. 21, 2024, in Bedell. His trial date was adjourned to Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. Another pre-trial hearing was set for Nov. 13 at 9:30 a.m.
Sentencing on multiple charges
Ryan James Smith, 37, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Aug. 12 and changed his plea to guilty on multiple charges laid by Woodstock Police. His sentencing date was set for Sept. 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Smith was denied bail in April. He was charged with possession of a stolen credit card and breach of probation concerning an incident on April 14 in Woodstock; and breach of probation, unlawful entry at a dwelling house, and obstructing police on April 16 in Woodstock.
Smith was also charged with two counts of uttering threats, three counts of breach of probation, theft, and mischief, in connection with incidents on Oct. 20, 2025, and on Jan. 7 and Jan. 9 in Woodstock.
Conditional discharge, probation
Heinrich Klassen, 30, of Fielding, received a conditional discharge and 12 months of probation when he appeared in provincial court for sentencing on Aug. 12 on a firearm charge.
Klassen was charged by the RCMP with careless use of a firearm concerning an incident on Oct. 9, 2025, in Fielding. He was prohibited from possessing firearms as part of his sentence.
Sentencing adjourned
Zacheriah Warman, 25, of Salisbury, will appear for sentencing in provincial court on Nov. 27 at 11 a.m. after pleading guilty to a summary conviction charge.
Warman was charged with transmitting an intimate image without consent for an incident on July 6, 2024. His sentencing was booked for Aug. 13 but was adjourned to the new date.
Trial continues in October
Cassidy Guest, 33, of Grand Falls, appeared in provincial court on Aug. 13 for the continuation of his trial after pleading not guilty to several charges laid by Woodstock Police. The trial was adjourned until Oct. 13 at 1:30 p.m.
Guest was charged by Woodstock Police with assault by choking, unlawful confinement, assault involving a female victim, uttering threats, breach of an undertaking, robbery of a cell phone, mischief causing property damage, and assault while threatening to use a weapon (a knife), concerning an incident between Feb. 15 and Feb.16, 2025, in Woodstock.
Remanded until trial
Trevor Lee Crain, 50, of Killoween, will appear in provincial court in custody via video on Aug. 17 at 1:30 p.m. for plea on a charge of failing to appear in court for his trial.
Crain appeared in provincial court in custody via video on July 13 after being arrested on a warrant. He was denied bail and remanded to jail to await his new trial date on Oct. 2 at 9:30 a.m.
Crain pleaded not guilty to breaking into a residence and committing sexual assault on a female victim for an incident between May 1, 2023, and May 23, 2023, at Moose Mountain. The court heard a resolution may be sought with the Crown.
He is also awaiting sentencing on several other charges laid by the RCMP. The sentencing was adjourned until his trial in October.
Crain spent five months in remand before being released from custody in August 2025 to await sentencing after changing his plea.
He pleaded guilty to one count of breaching his release order (house arrest) in connection with three incidents between Jan. 30 and Feb. 7 at Beechwood.
He also pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles) and breach of a release order in connection with an incident on July 1, 2024, at Killoween. The Crown withdrew another charge of resisting arrest.
Crain also pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen dirt bike on May 25, 2024, and guilty to breaching his release order by failing to appear in court on July 11, 2023.
He pleaded guilty to unlawful entry at a dwelling house and breaching an undertaking on June 15, 2023, at Moose Mountain, and committing an assault involving a female victim on June 11, 2023, at Killoween.
