Accused awaiting federal sentence says drugs were to blame
“If it wasn’t for me being on crystal meth, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Wyatt DeLong, 29, of Cloverdale, spoke those words to Chief Judge Brian C. McLean when he appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Oct. 11 for sentencing about an exchange of gunfire with police last July.
DeLong is facing up to seven years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm with intent at a police officer, flight from police, dangerous driving, and indictable breach of probation in connection with a police chase on July 14, 2023, near Florenceville-Bristol. He has been in custody since his arrest and has a prior criminal record.
Crown Prosecutor Brett Stanford told the court DeLong deserved a seven-year prison sentence for endangering the life of a police officer. Defence Counsel Alex Pate said he was requesting five years for his client. Any sentence imposed will be minus time served.
Stanford said it was fortunate no one was injured during the dangerous incident, but the risk of injury or death was significant. The crown contended DeLong had no remorse and had little memory of the incident because drugs impaired him.
Pate argued his client did regret what happened, and the outcome was “another example of a person who went down the path of drug use and got a wakeup call.”
DeLong apologized to the court for his actions and requested drug counselling. Judge McLean reserved his decision on sentence until Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m.
At an earlier hearing, the court heard DeLong was spotted by RCMP driving a stolen ATV on Route 130 near Burnham Road on July 14, 2023, around 2:30 a.m. Two other ATVs were travelling with him. When the police officer attempted to approach Delong, the other two ATVs tried to block the police cruiser. Eventually, they moved away and headed up the highway toward Perth-Andover.
As the police officer pursued DeLong on the stolen ATV, the accused fired a sawed-off shotgun toward the officer. The officer pulled his service weapon to return fire, and a police chase ensued for two kilometres through a residential area and down a trail before ending near Riverview Drive. There were four exchanges of gunfire between DeLong and the police officer during the incident. Police lost sight of DeLong as he fled on the stolen ATV into a wooded area.
DeLong said he did not aim the gun directly at the police officer but fired at random from the moving ATV. Defence Counsel Alex Pate said his client was trying to scare police away and end the chase. Under questioning from Judge McLean, DeLong admitted he pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm with intent.
DeLong and a co-accused, Janis Buchanan, 28, of Perth-Andover, were arrested by RCMP after a manhunt in Victoria County following a series of incidents in the upper river valley.
Buchanan appeared in provincial court in custody by video in September 2023 and pleaded guilty to robbery with violence for an incident on May 29, 2023, at Florenceville-Bristol. She was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
Man charged with attempted murder returns to court at end of month
Ozzie Jr. Trecartin, 30, of East Brighton, appeared in provincial court on Oct. 11 for plea on several charges related to an alleged attempted murder in East Brighton. The matter was adjourned until Oct. 29 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.
Trecartin appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on July 30 and was released from custody with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was ordered to have no firearms in his possession. He must also have no contact with the alleged victim.
RCMP charged Trecartin with attempted murder, reckless discharge of a firearm at a place while a person was inside, two counts of indictable assault against another man, uttering threats, resisting arrest, possession of a firearm without a licence, and storage of multiple guns in a careless manner following an incident on July 21 at East Brighton. He was also charged with impaired driving and driving while suspended on the same date in Peel.
Change of plea on two charges
Mitchell LaFrance, 26, of Perth-Andover, appeared for trial in provincial court on Oct. 10 and changed his plea to guilty on two charges laid by RCMP. He returns to court for sentencing on Jan. 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
LaFrance pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking by failing to comply with a no-contact order at East Brighton on Oct. 2, 2023.
He also pleaded guilty to criminal harassment for incidents between Aug. 28 and Sept. 25, 2023, in Lower Brighton, involving the same female complainant. The court heard he tried to contact the same female victim hundreds of times by phone, text message and on Facebook. The crown withdrew a threat charge.
LaFrance also returns to court for plea on more charges on Oct. 22 at 9:30 a.m. He was charged with breaching a no-contact order for an incident on Sept. 21 at Florenceville-Bristol. He appeared in court in custody by video on Sept. 25 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions. He also faces a charge of assault causing bodily harm involving a female victim stemming from an incident on July 19 at Carlingford.
Sentencing date set on firearm charges
Jeret Lee Everett of Wakefield appeared in provincial court on Oct. 10 and changed his plea to guilty on four charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing was set for Jan. 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
Everett pleaded guilty to breaching an undertaking, possession of a firearm (a 12-gauge shotgun) without a licence, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a gun, and improper storage of a firearm. The crown withdrew one other firearm charge.
Everett was charged in relation to a police check of a vehicle on Oct. 27, 2023, in Florenceville-Bristol. He was held in custody for a bail hearing and released with conditions.
The court heard police pulled over a vehicle for speeding on Route 107 near the Bristol Elementary School. A shotgun, bear spray and a machete were found in the vehicle. Everett has a limited prior criminal record. He was under a court order not to have firearms in his possession.
Everett was also charged with uttering threats involving a female victim in connection with an incident between May 1 and July 3, 2023, in Woodstock. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond, and the charge was withdrawn.
Arrested and released with conditions
Patrick Rattray, 30, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody on Oct. 10 and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
Woodstock Police charged Rattray with breaching a peace bond, uttering threats, assault, and mischief in connection with an incident on Oct. 9 in Woodstock. He returns to court for plea on Oct. 29 at 9:30 a.m.
Neqotkuk man awaits sentencing
Jordan Perley, 35, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Oct. 11 and changed his plea to guilty on several charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Dec. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Perley was arrested and denied bail in June. On Oct. 11, he pleaded guilty to one count of breaking into a dwelling house, uttering threats and mischief for an incident on May 17 at Neqotkuk. The crown withdrew four other charges.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to attend court on April 9, guilty to two counts of mischief causing property damage on Jan. 1 at Neqotkuk, guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon (a butterfly knife), and two counts of mischief causing property damage on March 18 at Neqotkuk. The crown withdrew four other charges.
Trial adjourned for Grand Falls man
Michael Langlois-Martell, 33, of Grand Falls, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody by video on Oct. 11 on charges laid by RCMP. The trial was adjourned until Dec. 12 at 1:30 p.m. to allow him more time to consult new legal counsel.
Langlois-Martell was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle (a Toyota Tundra), possession of a firearm without a licence (a pump action shotgun), storage of a firearm in a careless manner, and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace for an incident on Aug. 4, 2023, near Tobique Narrows. He pleaded not guilty on Jan. 23.
On Oct. 11, he told the court he was currently serving a sentence on other charges in Edmundston and expected to be released on Dec. 6.
Hearing pending in violent kidnapping
Four men charged in relation to an alleged kidnapping with violence at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) appeared in provincial court on Oct. 11 for a joinder hearing requested by the crown to put them all on trial together. The matter was adjourned for decision until Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Preston Sockabasin, 27, Adam Perley, 33, and Jacob Perley, 34, of Neqotkuk, are awaiting plea on multiple charges. Sockabasin was released with an ankle bracelet while the Perley men remain in custody.
Troy Pelkey, 56, of Tilley, pleaded not guilty in June to charges related to the alleged kidnapping. His three-day trial in September was adjourned due to the request for a joinder hearing.
Pelkey is at the centre of the joinder hearing since his trial was scheduled to be held separately. He was denied bail in May and appeared in court by video on Oct. 11.
Sockabasin and the two Perley men were jointly charged by RCMP with forcible confinement by choking and suffocation, unlawful confinement, administering a noxious substance, using a handgun to kidnap a female victim, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, assault causing bodily harm, and extortion with violence to obtain $10,000, concerning an attack on a woman in the community in April.
On Oct. 11, the crown withdrew three charges against Adam Perley. A charge of unlawful confinement was also withdrawn against Sockabasin.
Troy Pelkey also faces two other charges of pointing a firearm at another person and possession of a firearm without a licence.
The crown and defence counsel must file written submissions to the court by Oct. 25, explaining their arguments surrounding the joinder hearing. After the crown’s application is heard, a trial date will be set for the four men.
On Aug. 27, Pelkey was also charged by RCMP with assault by choking, assault causing bodily harm to a female victim, and uttering threats for unrelated incidents between April 1, 2023, and Nov. 1, 2023, at Tilley. His bail hearing and plea on those charges will be held on Oct. 18 at 9:30 a.m.
There are three more co-accused charged in the alleged kidnapping. Sheena Sappier, 36, Keagan Paul, 32, and Ashley Paul, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on Aug. 9 jointly charged in relation to the same alleged kidnapping.
All three accused pleaded not guilty to a series of charges, and their five-day trial was scheduled for June 23-25, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. and July 28-29, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Ashley Paul, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody for sentencing on Aug. 23 after pleading guilty to several separate charges laid by RCMP. She was handed 30 days in jail or time served and 12 months of probation.
Paul was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle. She will be residing at a residence in Carlingford until her trial.
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.
Keagan Paul was charged with unlawful confinement, using a handgun to kidnap a female victim, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm.
Jacob Perley was also charged with pointing a firearm at a female victim, possession of a restricted weapon (a handgun), and obstructing a police officer.
He was also charged with breaching a conditional sentence order (house arrest). He appeared in court in custody by video on June 3 and was remanded to complete the rest of his sentence (317 days) behind bars.
On June 18, Jacob Perley was also ordered to serve another 27 days in jail for defaulting on a $1,200 fine for suspended driving. He will also stand trial in January on fraud charges.
Preston Sockabasin is also facing a charge of possession of a firearm without a licence, and charges of dangerous driving and flight from police for a separate incident on May 7 at Neqotkuk. He pleaded not guilty on Oct. 11; his trial date was set for July 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
Keagan Paul and Preston Sockabasin appeared in provincial court in custody by video on June 6 for their bail hearings.
They were released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to their ankles. They must also follow a curfew and undergo a 90-day drug rehabilitation program in their community.
Both men were ordered to abstain from alcohol and drugs, and they were prohibited from possessing firearms. Paul and Sockabasin were also ordered to have no contact with the victim or any of the five others charged in the crime.
Sheena Sappier appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 31 for her bail hearing. She was released with conditions, including a curfew and wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle. She must also enter a drug rehab program in her community.
