Newbridge man sentenced on multiple charges
Nicholas Carl Manzer, 26, of Newbridge, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 27 and was sentenced to six months and 26 days in jail after changing his plea to guilty on several charges laid by RCMP. He was also placed on 12 months of probation.
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 gun 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, 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.
Arthurette man remanded
Nicholas William Sutthery, 40, of Arthurette, appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Sept. 27 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear. His bail hearing was adjourned until Oct. 3 at 9:30 a.m. He remains in custody.
RCMP charged Sutthery with three counts of uttering threats at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) on Sept. 25, break and enter at a dwelling house and possession of a stolen ATV on May 27 in Perth Andover and breach of an undertaking on July 16.
During an earlier court appearance, Sutthery was charged with possessing a stolen truck in connection with an incident between Jan. 1 and Jan. 11 at Carlingford. No plea has yet been entered.
Wotstak man back in custody
Greg McCormick, 35, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody on Sept. 25, only two days after his release. He waived his bail until later and was remanded to jail. He returns to court in custody for plea on Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
RCMP charged McCormick with breaching his release order by violating electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet). He appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 23 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions but allegedly removed his ankle bracelet.
During his last court appearance, McCormick was charged with breach of a no-contact order, two counts of assault with a weapon (bear spray and a box cutter), breach of a release order, and possession of a prohibited weapon (bear spray) following an incident on Sept. 21 at Wotstak. He has a limited prior record. He returns to court for plea on those charges on Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
McCormick appeared in provincial court on June 25 and pleaded not guilty to other separate charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for June 23, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
McCormick was charged with two counts of mischief causing property damage (a window and a vehicle) and indictable arson involving a vehicle in connection with an incident on July 16, 2023, at Wotstak.
He also appeared in provincial court on April 23 and pleaded not guilty to two more charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for May 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
McCormick was charged with assaulting another man while carrying a weapon (a knife) and uttering threats following an incident on Feb. 15 at Wotstak. He was arrested and later released on a release order.
Released with conditions
Mitchell LaFrance of Perth-Andover appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 25 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions. He returns to court for plea on Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
RCMP charged LaFrance with breaching a no-contact order for an incident on Sept. 21 at Florenceville-Bristol.
He also appeared in provincial court on Sept. 17 to answer an assault charge laid by the RCMP. At the request of his defence counsel, the matter was adjourned for plea until Oct. 8 at 9:30 a.m.
LaFrance was charged with assault causing bodily harm involving a female victim stemming from an incident on July 19 at Carlingford.
He also appeared in provincial court in December on several other charges laid by RCMP. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.
RCMP charged him with breaching an undertaking by failing to comply with a no-contact order in connection with an incident involving a female victim on Oct. 2, 2023, at East Brighton. He was also charged with uttering threats and criminal harassment for incidents between Aug. 28 and Sept. 25, 2023, involving the same complainant.
Neqotkuk man released with conditions
Gavin Schloemer, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Sept. 27 and was released with conditions. He returns to court on Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m. for sentencing.
RCMP charged Schloemer with breaching a release order (house arrest) in connection with an incident on Sept. 23 at Neqotkuk.
He also appeared in provincial court on June 17 and pleaded guilty to three other charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Oct. 8 at 1:30 p.m.
Schloemer pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and assaulting police on June 21 at Neqotkuk and assaulting police on June 21 at Williamstown. The crown withdrew another charge of failing to appear in court.
Bail hearing adjourned
Riley Cowper, 19, of Limestone, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 26 for his bail hearing after being charged in an alleged violent attack on another local man. The matter was adjourned until Oct. 4 at 1:30 p.m. to set a new date for his bail hearing and confirm he has legal counsel.
RCMP charged Cowper with attempted murder by using a hammer and a wrench to assault Rodney Butler, mischief causing property damage to a car window, uttering threats, and robbery of a vehicle in connection with an incident on Aug. 10 at Jackson Falls.
He was arrested on Aug. 13 and ordered to have no contact with Butler, who police said was treated at hospital for injuries and later released.
Cowper is also facing a separate charge of assault with a weapon (a hammer and tire iron) involving another man on March 23, 2022. That trial was adjourned to Dec. 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Plea delayed, accused in rehab
Douglas Thomas Defazio, 36, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Sept. 26 from a rehab facility in Moncton. He was scheduled to enter a plea on several charges, but the matter was adjourned until Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.
The court heard a resolution may be sought with the crown to resolve the matter before the next court date.
Defazio was released with conditions following a bail hearing on Aug. 22 and was ordered to enter rehab. He was arrested by Woodstock Police shortly after a stolen boat crashed on the rocks of the Meduxnekeag River on July 10, where the vessel was abandoned and the suspect swam to shore.
Defazio faces two counts of break and entering a dwelling house, mischief causing property damage, and breach of probation in connection with break-ins at two different residences on Grant Street and Houlton Street on July 10. More charges are pending, including possession of stolen property, theft, and breach of recognizance. The crown withdrew another separate charge of uttering threats.
Trial adjourned for Centreville man
Stacey Harry Broad, 56, of Centreville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 26 to set a new trial date. He pleaded not guilty to assault and mischief charges laid by the RCMP.
The trial was adjourned until Dec. 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the crown’s request due to the availability of a police witness.
Broad was charged with committing mischief causing property damage to a vehicle for an incident on Jan. 23 at Johnson Settlement. The crown withdrew this charge on Sept. 26.
Broad appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 23 and was denied bail. On May 9, he pleaded not guilty to multiple assault charges laid by RCMP.
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 April 15 on a charge of breaching his release order.
In custody awaiting trial
Ian Stewart Bishop, 41, of Perth-Andover, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Sept. 25 after pleading not guilty to charges laid by RCMP. His trial was adjourned to Oct. 30 at 1:30 p.m. He remains in custody.
Bishop was denied bail when appeared in court in custody by video on April 25.
RCMP arrested him in connection with two break-ins, one at the local civic centre and another at a dwelling house in Perth-Andover.
Bishop was charged with breaking and entering at a dwelling house and theft of tools on March 30 and breaking and entering and theft of tools at the River Valley Civic Centre on April 1. Bishop has 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 Sept. 26 after pleading not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. At the request of his defence counsel, his trial date was rescheduled for Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m., but 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 arrested him 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.
Quebec man in custody awaiting plea
A Quebec man remains in custody after a spike belt was used to stop a vehicle that was travelling in the wrong lane on the Trans Canada Highway and then fled from police near Woodstock during the early morning hours of Aug. 5.
Frederick Garneau Watson, 42, of Saint Liguori, was arrested by RCMP near Maliseet Fuels at Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation).
He appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 25 to answer charges of dangerous driving, flight from police, assault, and obstruction. At the request of his defence counsel, the matter was adjourned for plea until Oct. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Police laid the charges after receiving a report of a vehicle travelling in the wrong lane on Highway 2 around 1:30 a.m. and then spotted it driving erratically in the parking lot at Maliseet Fuels. The vehicle attempted to flee the scene. Police deployed a tire deflation device to stop it. The driver exited the vehicle and was arrested at the scene. Subsequent to his arrest, a loaded handgun was located in the vehicle.
Woodstock man remains in custody
Shane Lee Dickison, 36, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody for his trial on Sept. 26 after pleading not guilty to all charges laid against him by RCMP and Woodstock Police.
His trial was rescheduled for Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. and Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m. at the request of his defence counsel. The court heard a resolution may be sought with the crown to resolve the matter before the next court date. He remains in custody.
Dickison was charged with breaching his curfew on June 5 at Hodgdon Road. He was also charged with two counts of assault with a weapon (a knife) involving another man, two counts of uttering threats, breach of a peace bond, and resisting arrest in connection with incidents on April 23 and May 6 in Lower Woodstock.
Dickison appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 16 for a bail hearing. After an earlier 35-day jail sentence was served, an order was made to release him from custody with conditions on May 30.
He was released with an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was ordered to follow and curfew, abstain from drugs and have no contact with the complainants but was re-arrested.
Trial stalled on drug trafficking charge
Mohammed Karam Abualhawa, 24, of Fredericton, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 26 for monitoring about his trial on a drug trafficking charge. Due to an ongoing disclosure issue with the crown, another monitoring date was set for Oct. 3 at 1:30 p.m. His trial date of Oct. 16-18 at 1:30 p.m. remains in place.
Abualhawa was charged by RCMP with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking following an incident on Feb. 21, 2023, at Wostak (Woodstock First Nation). The charge was laid in connection with a search of a vehicle.
Verdict pending in assault trial
Jerod Nowlan, 40, of Rosedale, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 26 for the conclusion of his trial on an assault charge. Chief Judge Brian C. McLean reserved his decision until Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Nowlan was charged by RCMP with assault on a female minor in connection with an incident between April 1 and April 30, 2023, in Coldstream. He pleaded not guilty. During the trial, the alleged victim testified she was grabbed by the neck, choked by the accused, and then fell to the pavement.
Nowlan also appeared in provincial court on Sept. 3 to set a new date for another trial on firearm charges. The court heard the trial needed to be postponed due to a disclosure issue with the crown. Nowlan returns to court on Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m., when a new trial date will be set.
Nowlan was charged with possession of a firearm without a licence (a rifle), improper storage of a firearm, and possession of a gun with the serial number altered concerning an incident on July 27, 2023, at Rosedale. He pleaded not guilty.
Agreed to peace bond
George E. Legacy, 49, of Plaster Rock, appeared for trial in provincial court on Sept. 26 on an unusual assault charge. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond and the trial did not proceed.
RCMP charged Legacy with assaulting a female victim using dog feces following an incident on Sept. 21, 2023, in Plaster Rock. The peace bond will result in the assault charge being withdrawn. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainant.
