Bail hearings delayed on kidnapping charges
Bail hearings were delayed this week for six individuals in custody in connection with an alleged kidnapping with violence at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) between April 27 and April 29.
Sheena Sappier, 36, Jacob Perley, 34, Ashley Paul, 33, Keegan Paul, 32, Preston Sockabasin, 27, Adam Perley, 33, and Troy Pelkey, 56, from Tilley, were arrested by RCMP and remanded to jail.
Troy Pelkey was denied bail on May 10 and returns to court in custody for plea on May 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Judge Henrik Tonning rescheduled bail hearings for the other six accused to allow them more time to seek legal counsel, stressing to each of them the gravity and seriousness of the charges laid against them. Family members in attendance listened intently during the day-long proceedings.
The victim, a 54-year-old woman from Florenceville-Bristol, was kidnapped at gunpoint, held against her will for two days, assaulted, and administered a noxious substance with intent to extort $10,000. She was treated in hospital with significant but non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.
A total of 62 charges were laid, including using a handgun to kidnap a female victim, extortion, uttering threats, assault, assault causing bodily harm, administering a noxious substance, forcible confinement using a choke hold, plastic bag and tape, possession of a prohibited firearm, pointing a firearm, careless use of a firearm, resisting arrest, unlawful confinement, theft of a motor vehicle, obstructing justice by disposing of evidence, and possession of a firearm without a licence.
Sheena Sappier appeared in court in custody by video on May 16 and waived her bail until later. She returns to court in custody on May 30 at 11 a.m.
Jacob Perley, Ashley Paul, Keegan Paul, Adam Perley, and Preston Sockabasin appeared in court in custody by video on May 23, and their bail hearings were adjourned.
Jacob Perley was also charged with breaching a conditional sentence order. He returns to court in custody by video on June 3 at 1:30 p.m. to answer the breach charge and to set a new date for his bail. He also has a separate trial for drug trafficking scheduled to resume on June 24.
Ashley Paul returns to court in custody by video on June 18 at 9:30 a.m. for her bail hearing. She is also awaiting plea on other separate charges of fraud, possession of stolen property, assault, unlawful entry at a dwelling house, and breach of probation, all stemming from earlier incidents.
Adam Perley will appear in court in custody for his bail hearing by video on May 30 at 9:30 a.m.
Keegan Paul and Preston Sockabasin will appear in court in custody by video on May 31 at 9:30 a.m. for their bail hearings. Sockabasin also faces separate charges of dangerous driving and flight from police for an incident on May 7.
The RCMP police dog service and air services assisted with investigating and arresting the individuals charged. Police say the investigation is ongoing. A search warrant was executed at a residence at Neqotkuk on May 6.
Sentenced to one year in jail or time served
Curtis Brent Hatheway, 43, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody on May 23 and was sentenced to one year in jail or time served after pleading guilty to a long list of charges laid by Woodstock Police.
Hatheway was released from custody and placed on probation for three years. He must also seek counselling for anger management and was prohibited from the use of firearms. He has been in jail since last November on remand.
Hatheway was charged with assault involving a female victim, breach of probation, and breach of a release order stemming from an incident on June 22, 2023, in Woodstock. He was found not guilty of assault but pleaded guilty to both breaches.
Hatheway was charged with breaching a no-contact order while in custody between Oct. 7 and Nov. 1, 2023, and between Nov. 1, 2023, and Jan. 1 of this year. He pleaded guilty. He was also charged with breach of curfew for an incident on May 17, 2023. He pleaded guilty.
Hatheway was also charged by Woodstock Police with assaulting a female victim, assault by choking, uttering threats and breach of a release order for an incident on Sept. 25, 2023, in Woodstock. He pleaded guilty to the breach, and the crown withdrew the threat charge and the assault charges.
Woodstock Police also charged Hatheway with assault, unlawful confinement, uttering threats and breach of a release order in connection with another incident on Aug. 31, 2023, in Woodstock. He pleaded guilty to the breach and uttering threats, and the two remaining charges were withdrawn.
He also appeared for trial in provincial court in custody by video on Jan. 15. He agreed to sign a peace bond, and the trial did not proceed. Woodstock Police charged him 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, 2023, in Woodstock. The peace bond will result in these charges being withdrawn.
Hatheway appeared in court in custody in November and was remanded. He appeared in provincial court in custody by video in July for a bail hearing. He was released with conditions, including house arrest and wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainant and to attend court as required but was later brought back into custody.
Denied bail and remanded
Stacey Harry Broad, 56, of Centreville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 23 for a bail hearing. He was denied bail and remanded to jail.
On May 9, Broad pleaded not guilty to multiple assault charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Broad was charged with assault, assault by choking, sexual assault and unlawful confinement involving a female victim in connection with an incident in the County of York between April 3 and April 10.
He was released from custody with conditions but was re-arrested on a charge of breaching his release order on April 15. A monitoring date for his trial was set for July 29 at 9:30 a.m.
Awaiting bail hearing on new charges
Jordan Perley, 35, of Neqotkuk, appeared in court in custody by video on May 23 for a bail hearing on new charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until June 6 at 9:30 a.m. to allow him more time to secure legal counsel.
Perley was charged with two counts of break and enter at a dwelling house, mischief causing property damage, uttering threats, three counts of assault, and resisting arrest concerning an incident on May 17 at Neqotkuk.
He appeared in court in custody on May 8 and was released with conditions after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court in April. He was re-arrested on new charges and remains in custody.
Perley was also charged by RCMP with two other counts of attempted break-in at a dwelling house and two counts of mischief causing property damage on Jan. 1 at Neqotkuk; attempted break-in at a dwelling house, mischief, possession of a prohibited weapon (a butterfly knife), and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace on March 18 at Neqotkuk. He was scheduled to appear in court on those charges on May 28.
Bail hearing delayed
Kyrin Moulton, 18, of Grand Falls, formerly of Neqotkuk, appeared in court in custody by video on May 23 for a bail hearing. At the request of his defence counsel, the matter was adjourned until May 30 at 1:30 p.m.
RCMP charged Moulton with assault involving a female victim, breach of probation, and breach of a release order stemming from an incident between April 14 and April 25 in Perth-Andover.
He appeared in court in custody on May 21 and openly wept when he heard he was being held on remand. As sheriffs escorted him from the courtroom, he tried to escape custody on his way back to the cells.
Moulton shed more tears during his bail hearing on May 23. He spent a few days in jail in April on other unrelated charges.
Two in custody after police chase
Marshall Turner, 23, of Beaconsfield, and Kelsey Janetta Brooker, 30, of Florenceville-Bristol, were arrested and charged by RCMP following a police chase across Carleton North.
Turner appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 23 for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until May 30 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel. He was charged with possession of a stolen truck, flight from police, dangerous driving and breach of probation.
Brooker was charged with breaching a conditional sentence order and held in custody for a bail hearing on April 26. She was remanded to jail and appeared in court by video on April 30 for a hearing when she denied breaching her conditional sentence order. After the hearing, she was ordered to complete her sentence behind bars.
They were arrested on April 23 after police pursued the pair through Beaconsfield, Florenceville-Bristol and Johnville, where they were apprehended with the assistance of a police dog and police helicopter. Turner and Brooker both have a prior criminal record.
New trial date for Johnville man
Brandon Schriver, 22, of Johnville, appeared in provincial court in custody for his trial on May 23 after pleading not guilty to charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was rescheduled for July 19 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel. He remains in custody.
Schriver appeared in court in custody on Feb. 29 for a bail hearing and was remanded to jail. RCMP charged him with possession of prohibited weapons (brass knuckles and three knives), assaulting a police officer with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous driving, driving while prohibited, possession of a stolen vehicle, and breach of probation in connection with an incident on Feb. 22 in Johnville.
Police made the arrest after receiving a report of two suspicious vehicles at a residence in Johnville. Upon arrival, police saw an individual jump into a vehicle, which then rammed the police car before fleeing at a high rate of speed. Police then followed the vehicle until it eventually came to a stop. The driver exited the vehicle but was quickly apprehended by police. No one was injured during the incident.
Sentencing delayed, resolution sought
Brandon Cecil Armour, 34, of no fixed address, appeared in provincial court in custody on May 23 for sentencing after pleading guilty to two charges laid by Woodstock Police.
His sentencing was adjourned until May 30 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel. The court heard a resolution may be made with the crown on other remaining charges scheduled for trial in the fall.
Woodstock Police charged Armour with prowling at night and resisting arrest concerning an incident on March 24, 2023, in Woodstock. He pleaded guilty on May 1.
He was also charged with breach of an undertaking and failing to attend court on July 11, 2023, as well as theft of a vehicle and resisting arrest on Aug. 14, 2023. He pleaded not guilty at an earlier court appearance, and a trial date was set for Sept. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
RCMP also charged Armour with breaching a release order following incidents on Jan. 7 and Feb. 6 near Johnville. He appeared in court in custody on Feb. 9 for a bail hearing and waived his bail until later. On March 13, he pleaded not guilty to two counts of breaching his release order and a trial date was set for Sept. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Armour appeared in provincial court in custody by video on April 11 and was sentenced to one year in jail, minus time served, after pleading guilty to another charge. He was also placed on probation for 12 months.
Armour was charged by RCMP with breaking into a dwelling house, committing mischief causing property damage to a door, and assaulting a female victim, stemming from an incident on June 8, 2022, in Beechwood. He pleaded guilty to breaking into the dwelling, and the crown withdrew the two remaining charges.
Armour appeared in court in custody on Aug. 15, 2023, after being arrested on a warrant. He appeared on Sept. 28, 2023, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions but was brought back into custody.
