Sentencing set for transmitting nude photos
Michael Anthony Allain, 52, of no fixed address (Alberta), appeared for trial in provincial court on Aug. 15 on an indictable charge of knowingly transmitting intimate images without consent. He changed his plea to guilty on summary conviction, and a sentencing date was set for Nov. 13 at 1:30 p.m.
Allain was charged by Woodstock Police in connection with incidents involving a female victim between April 3 and April 7, 2023, in Woodstock and Fredericton.
The court heard Allain shared several nude images and one sexually explicit image of the victim with a group of individuals online and also posted several “vile” messages about her on Facebook.
Crown Prosecutor Rodney Jordan told the court the photos were taken with the woman’s consent, but she did not give permission for the accused to share them with others. Allain told police he eventually deleted many of the images and then regretted his actions, which he carried out in revenge over the end of a relationship.
In preparation for sentencing, the crown will be requesting victim impact statements from the woman and the individuals who received the images from Allain. Defence Counsel Patrick Hurley represented the accused.
45 days in jail or time served
Kyrin Moulton, 18, of Grand Falls, formerly of Neqotkuk, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Aug. 14 and changed his plea to guilty on two charges laid by RCMP. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail or time served and was released from custody.
Moulton was also placed on 12 months of probation. He pleaded guilty to assault involving a female victim and breach of a release order stemming from an incident between April 14 and April 25 in Perth-Andover—three other charges related to an incident in June were withdrawn by the crown.
Moulton appeared in court in custody by video on May 30 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions. He was taken back into custody on June 12.
Released after months in custody
Nekko Dominique, 31, of no fixed address, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Aug. 16 on charges laid by RCMP. The trial was adjourned until April 25, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the crown’s request after a key witness failed to appear.
Dominique first appeared in court in custody on Feb. 16 and was remanded to jail after a bail hearing. He was charged with breaking into a dwelling house, possessing break-in tools, and wearing a mask with intent to commit an indictable offence following an incident on Feb. 10 at a residence in Neqotkuk. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set.
Dominique was also charged with resisting arrest for a separate incident on Feb. 13 at Neqotkuk. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 days in jail or time served.
He was also placed on probation for 12 months and ordered to seek counselling for drug addiction. The court heard Dominque knocked a police officer to the ground, then jumped a fence and fled on foot to escape arrest. He was apprehended a few days later.
Dominique had a significant prior criminal record. He spent several months in custody for breaching a conditional sentence order handed down in Miramichi. He completed that sentence on June 13. On Aug. 16, he was released from custody with conditions as he waits for his trial in April.
Released with ankle bracelet
Brian Vrieze, 53, of Debec, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 14 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He returns to court for plea on Sept. 3 at 1:30 p.m.
Vrieze was arrested on two warrants for failing to appear in court to answer charges. He and Tyler Vrieze, 29, of Debec, were each charged by Woodstock Police with possession of stolen property (an ATV).
The charges were laid in connection with an incident in Woodstock on July 27, 2023. Tyler Vrieze pleaded not guilty on April 9; his trial date was set for April 30, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Brian Vrieze failed to appear in court for plea, and a second warrant for his arrest was issued. The court issued an earlier arrest warrant when he failed to appear for trial on Nov. 6, 2023. The court heard he was in the hospital at that time.
Vrieze pleaded not guilty in December to possessing a firearm without a license, a Savage 223 rifle, concerning a Nov. 18, 2021, incident at Limestone and not guilty to possessing methamphetamine on April 24, 2021, in Woodstock. A new date for his trial will be set at his next court appearance.
Bail hearing adjourned
Matthew McGrath, 30, of Plaster Rock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 14 for a bail hearing. He refused to cooperate with the court, and the bail hearing was adjourned until Aug. 22 at 9:30 a.m.
Judge Lucie Mathurin ordered McGrath to undergo a five-day mental health assessment. He was charged by RCMP with assault involving a female victim, uttering threats, resisting arrest and breach of probation in connection with an incident on June 26 at Plaster Rock.
He is also facing charges of failing to appear in court in Edmundston on May 28 and mischief causing property damage to the Madawaska jail on May 11.
Following his arrest in June, he was remanded to the Restigouche hospital for a mental health assessment until July 10. He is still awaiting plea on the charges.
Sentencing set after guilty plea
Nicholas Carl Manzer, 26, of Newbridge, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Aug. 15 and changed his plea to guilty on several charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Sept. 27 at 1:30 p.m.
Manzer appeared in court in custody for a bail hearing on April 5 and was remanded to jail. He was arrested on a warrant after he failed to appear in provincial court on March 19. He pleaded guilty to that offence on Aug. 15.
In addition, Manzer pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm (a rifle) while prohibited, possession of a stolen truck, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm for an incident on Nov. 11, 2023, at Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation). The crown withdrew two other charges.
Manzer also pleaded guilty to breaching a release order and mischief causing damage to his ankle bracelet on March 4 and resisting arrest on April 3 at Wotstak. He remains in custody to await sentencing.
The court heard Manzer was tasered during his arrest on April 3, but a police dog had to be called in to finally subdue him.
In custody awaiting trial
Brandon Jay Smith, 26, of Centreville, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Aug. 14 after pleading not guilty to charges laid by RCMP.
The trial was adjourned until Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel. The court heard a resolution may be sought for the accused before his new trial date.
Smith appeared in provincial court in custody by video on April 4 for a bail hearing and was remanded to jail. He was charged with breaking into a dwelling house and theft of firearms on July 3, 2023, in Summerfield. He also faces charges of break, enter and theft at a dwelling house, breaking into a garage, and theft of a trailer related to an incident on March 18 on the Back Greenfield Road.
Bloomfield man awaiting trial
Kenneth Greer, 60, of Bloomfield, will appear for trial in provincial court on Oct. 24 at 1:30 p.m. after pleading not guilty to three charges laid by RCMP. He was scheduled for trial on Aug. 15 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Greer was charged with uttering threats, careless use of a firearm, and assault while threatening to use a weapon (a gun) involving a female victim for an incident on Sept. 9, 2023, at Bloomfield.
Released with conditions
Trevor Lee Crain, 49, of Killoween, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 15 for a bail hearing on several charges laid by RCMP. He was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He returns to court for plea on Aug. 27 at 9:30 a.m.
Crain was charged by RCMP with possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles), resisting arrest, and breach of a release order in connection with an incident on July 1 at Killoween.
He was also charged with breaking into a residence and committing sexual assault for another incident between May 1 and May 23, 2023, at Moose Mountain.
He also faces a charge of possessing stolen property for a separate incident on May 5. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date will be set at his next court appearance on Aug. 27.
Crain was scheduled to appear for trial on July 11 after pleading not guilty to a series of other charges. Those matters were adjourned until after his plea on the new charges.
Crain was charged by RCMP with break and enter 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.
He appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 14, 2023, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions. He was ordered to follow a curfew and report to the police weekly as part of his release order but was brought back into custody.
New date for bail hearing
Lucas Green, 19, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 22 at 9:30 a.m. for a bail hearing. He was scheduled for a bail hearing on July 25, but the matter was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel.
Green appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 2 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was scheduled to return for plea on July 23 at 9:30 a.m. but was taken back into custody for breaching his release order.
Green was residing at a residence in Newbridge. He was charged with uttering threats and committing mischief, causing property damage to a door for an incident on June 15 at Mapledale.
Green also appeared in provincial court for sentencing on Aug. 13 after pleading guilty to an assault charge laid by RCMP. His sentencing was adjourned to his next court date on Aug. 22.
Green was charged with aggravated assault against another man and committing mischief causing property damage to a vehicle in connection with an incident on Oct. 19, 2023, at Richmond Corner.
He pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of assault causing bodily harm. The crown intends to withdraw the mischief charge at sentencing.
150 days or time served
Nicholas Charles Paul, 46, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video for sentencing on Aug. 13 after pleading guilty to charges laid by RCMP. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail or time served.
Paul was denied bail on June 3. He has been in custody since his arrest in early May. He pleaded guilty to breaching a release order by failing to follow the conditions of electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet) for an incident on May 1 at Neqotkuk and guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle and breach of probation concerning another incident on June 29, 2023, in Woodstock.
On Aug. 15, a new charge of possession of stolen property was laid against him. He pleaded guilty, and a sentencing date was set for Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m.
At an earlier court appearance, Paul was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest after pleading guilty to a series of other charges laid by RCMP. The first six months will be full house arrest followed by six months with a curfew. He was to begin his house arrest when he was released from custody.
Paul pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle, obstructing police, and breach of an undertaking on Dec. 3, 2021, in Grand Falls and Neqotkuk; guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle, breach of probation and possession of a stolen credit card for an incident on Sept. 12, 2023, in Hartland, guilty to theft from a store in Carlingford on Aug. 30, 2023, guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of suspended driving, and two counts of flight from police for incidents on Aug. 8 and Aug. 11, 2023, in Perth Andover; and guilty to failing to attend court on Nov. 21, 2023.
He was fined $1,200 for driving while suspended and was prohibited from driving for one year.
Paul was also charged with flight from police and break, enter and theft at a storage shed following an incident on Sept. 4, 2022, at Perth-Andover. He changed his plea to guilty. He had a limited prior criminal record.
