Sentencing set for Woodstock man
Ronald David Whitfeld, 29, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Oct. 13 and changed his plea to guilty on six charges laid by Woodstock Police. His sentencing was booked for Oct. 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Whitfeld appeared in court in custody on Aug. 4 and later waived bail. He was facing a slew of charges related to a series of incidents.
On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to uttering threats, breaching a no-contact order, unlawful confinement, and assaulting a female victim between June 8 and Aug. 2 in Woodstock; and guilty to pointing a firearm (a pump-action shotgun) and possession of a firearm without a licence on April 8 in Woodstock. The Crown withdrew several other charges.
Returned to custody
Curtis Brent Hatheway, 46, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Oct. 13 after police arrested him a few days after he was released from jail. He returns to court in custody for plea on Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Hatheway was charged by Woodstock Police with uttering threats, break and enter at a dwelling house, and breach of probation following an incident on Oct. 1 in Woodstock. He was arrested and remanded to jail after a bail hearing.
On Sept. 28, Hatheway was released from custody after spending several months in jail on other charges but was re-arrested.
Rosedale man in custody
Jerod Nowlan, 43, of Rosedale, will appear in provincial court in Miramichi in custody on Nov. 2 at 9:30 a.m. to answer multiple charges related to guns and drugs. He was scheduled to enter a plea on Oct. 13 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Police arrested Nowlan on July 28 as part of an investigation. He was charged with five counts of drug trafficking in fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and hydromorphone; possession of a loaded handgun, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, and dangerously carrying a firearm. The judge remanded him to jail after a bail hearing.
In Woodstock, Nowlan faces a charge of driving while suspended on May 15. He returns to court in custody for plea on Oct. 27 at 9:30 a.m.
Wotstak man awaiting plea
Jacob Richard Sewell, 36, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video for plea on assault and threat charges laid by Woodstock Police. The matter was adjourned until Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m., when the court will also set a sentencing date for any remaining charges with a guilty plea. The charges stemmed from incidents in Woodstock between July 1 and 21.
Sewell appeared in provincial court in custody via video on Sept. 21 and was sentenced to two years in federal prison after changing his plea to guilty on a drug charge.
Sewell was charged with two counts of trafficking in cocaine in connection with incidents on April 24 and May 2, 2025, in Woodstock. The court heard that Sewell was caught selling a small quantity of cocaine to an undercover police officer during two incidents. With the consent of the Crown, the two counts were rolled into one trafficking charge.
In addition to jail time, Judge Henrik Tonning also ordered Sewell to register with the federal DNA database and prohibited him from the use of firearms for 10 years. Sewell had a limited prior criminal record.
Remanded after bail hearing
Brandon Travis Hamilton, 36, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court by video on Oct. 13 while in custody to answer two additional charges laid by the RCMP. The court adjourned the matter for a plea until Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. to give him more time to secure legal counsel.
Hamilton was charged with breaching his release order and flight from police in connection with an incident on Sept. 29 in Greenfield. He was remanded to jail following a bail hearing.
He also appeared in provincial court on Aug. 18 for a monitoring hearing about his trial after pleading not guilty to several other charges laid by the RCMP. His trial was booked for Aug. 19, 2027, at 9:30 a.m.
Hamilton appeared in provincial court in custody on Feb. 25 and was released with conditions. He was charged with possession of two stolen snowmobiles, dangerous driving, fleeing police, driving while suspended, possession of a firearm while prohibited from having it, careless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, in connection with an incident on Feb. 24 in Florenceville-Bristol.
At an earlier court appearance, Hamilton also pleaded not guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle and two counts of driving while suspended on June 9, 2025, in Woodstock. The court set his trial on the stolen property charge for June 9, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. The court set another trial for the two alleged driving offences for Feb. 22, 2027, at 1:30 p.m.
In custody awaiting trial
Kenneth Lake, 39, of Lansdowne, appeared in provincial court via video on Oct. 13 while in custody and pleaded not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. His trial was booked for Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. The court denied him bail on Sept. 24 and remanded him.
Lake was charged with assaulting another man and breaching his release order in connection with an incident on Sept. 14 at Stickney. The court ordered him to stay away from the complainant. He was also charged with breaching a no-contact order on Feb. 2 in Lansdowne and assaulting a female victim on Nov. 28, 2025, in Lansdowne.
Charged with firearm offences
Dustin Broad, 39, of Moose Mountain, will appear in provincial court on Dec. 8 at 9:30 a.m. to enter a plea to six charges laid by the RCMP.
Broad was charged with intentionally discharging a firearm, pointing a firearm, careless use of a firearm, assault with a weapon (a firearm), causing suffering to an animal by shooting two dogs, and mischief causing property damage to a house in connection with an incident on June 18 at Piercemont. He appeared in court on Oct. 13, when the matter was adjourned to give the Crown more time to provide disclosure.
Incident at Eel River Lake
Edward Blair, 49, of Sproul Road in Eel River, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. to plead to several charges laid by the RCMP.
Blair was charged with assaulting a male victim and uttering threats on June 3 at Eel River Lake and assaulting a woman with a weapon (an axe), uttering threats and mischief causing property damage to a vehicle on June 3 in Woodstock. He appeared in court on Oct. 13 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Charged with sexual assault
Matthew Kunselman, 22, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court on Oct. 13 to answer two sex charges laid by the RCMP.
Kunselman was charged with touching a minor for a sexual purpose and sexual assault in connection with an incident between July 1, 2024, and Nov. 21, 2024, at Wotstak. He was released on an undertaking and will return to court for plea on Nov. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
Awaiting plea and trial
Chad Brooker, 36, of Centreville, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. to enter a plea to three charges laid by the RCMP. He was scheduled to enter a plea on Oct. 13, but the matter was adjourned to give his lawyer more time to review disclosure.
Brooker was charged with assault involving a female victim in connection with an incident on Dec. 15, 2025, in Williamstown; theft of a snowmobile on Jan. 10 in Hartland; and possession of a stolen snowmobile on Jan. 11 in Hartland.
At an earlier court appearance, he pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, touching a minor for a sexual purpose and invitation to sexual touching in connection with an incident between June 1 and Oct. 31, 2024, at Centreville. The court set his trial for April 1-2, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. The court also set a pre-trial conference for Jan. 5, 2027, at 1:30 p.m.
Trial date on assault charge
Samuel Lee, 30, of Summerfield, appeared in provincial court on Oct. 13 and pleaded not guilty to an assault charge laid by the RCMP. His trial date was scheduled for Sept. 29, 2027, at 9:30 a.m.
Lee was charged with assault with a weapon (a knife) involving a female victim in connection with an incident on June 27 in Summerfield.
Ontario man facing sex charge
David Vermont, 36, of Owen Sound, Ontario, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 27 at 9:30 a.m. to enter a plea to three charges laid by the RCMP.
Vermont was charged with sexual assault, assault and uttering threats stemming from an incident between Aug. 1, 2013, and July 31, 2019, in Fielding. He was scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 13, but the matter was adjourned to give his lawyer more time to review disclosure. Vermont did not appear, and the court held a warrant on file.
Facing sex charge
Mitchell Michael Diamond, 21, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Nov. 3 at 9:30 a.m. for a plea on a sex charge laid by Woodstock Police.
Diamond was charged with sexual assault in connection with an incident on Aug. 9, 2025, in Woodstock. He appeared in court on Oct. 13 when the matter was adjourned to allow him more time to consult legal counsel.
Charge withdrawn
The Crown withdrew a threat charge laid against Tina Noella Albert, 54, of Upper Kintore, in provincial court on Oct. 13.
Albert was charged with uttering threats against another woman in connection with an incident on April 13 at Craig’s Flat near Perth-Andover. The court heard that the Crown decided not to proceed with the charge.
Not-guilty pleas
Jordan Hill, 21, of Greenfield, appeared in provincial court on Oct. 13 and pleaded not guilty to multiple charges laid by the RCMP. The court set his trial dates for Nov. 8, Nov. 15 and Nov. 18, 2027, at 9:30 a.m. The court set a pre-trial conference for Aug. 3, 2027, at 1:30 p.m.
Hill was charged with two counts of uttering threats, breach of a no-contact order, committing arson at a residence and resisting arrest in connection with an incident on April 1 at Greenfield.
Hill was charged with assaulting a woman between Feb. 15 and March 12; assaulting the same woman, breaching a no-contact order, and taking a vehicle without consent on March 12; and two counts of assault and breaching a no-contact order on July 5 in Greenfield.
Hill was also charged with assault, assault with a weapon (a ruler), breaking into a dwelling house, and committing mischief stemming from an incident on March 13, 2025, in Juniper. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial on those charges was scheduled for Jan. 21, 2027, at 9:30 a.m.
Trial pending on multiple charges
Gabriel John Tomah, 22, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on Oct. 13 for a monitoring hearing about his trial after pleading not guilty to multiple charges laid by the RCMP.
The court confirmed Tomah’s trial dates for Nov. 2, 2026, and Nov. 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. The RCMP charged him with sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, pointing a firearm at another person, and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.
He appeared in court in custody on May 7, 2025, for a bail hearing and was released on bail with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
