“You creeped her out,” says judge in delivering not-guilty verdict
An East Brighton man, who allegedly threatened a teenage girl at the Walmart in Woodstock, was found not guilty after trial on July 24.
Steven Derek Trecartin, 46, was charged by Woodstock Police with uttering threats against a female victim following an incident inside the Woodstock Walmart on Nov. 1, 2023. He pleaded not guilty and went to trial in provincial court on July 10.
In handing down his verdict on Thursday, Judge Henrik Tonning decided Trecartin was not guilty of uttering threats, but told the accused he was a stranger to the girl and his “bizarre” behaviour scared her.
“You creeped her out,” Judge Tonning told Trecartin. “That’s why there will be a recognizance (peace bond) for you to sign. You stay away from her from now on.”
During the trial, the court heard testimony from two police officers and the female complainant, who stated that Trecartin approached her in the store. As they spoke, he began insisting that she leave with him to go to his house for a party. When she refused, Trecartin told her he had a gun in his truck and followed her to the checkout. She alerted store staff, and the police were notified.
Trecartin testified he did not know the girl and only helped her look for merchandise in the store. He agreed they chatted, but denied the allegations that he intimidated her and tried to get her to leave with him.
Police testified they were called about a teenage girl being followed around the Walmart, and Trecartin was arrested on the scene. He appeared to be intoxicated by a prescription medication, but no firearm was found in his possession.
Killoween man released until sentencing
Trevor Lee Crain, 49, of Killoween, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on July 25 and changed his plea to guilty on several charges laid by the RCMP. His sentencing date was set for Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Crain was released from custody with conditions until his sentencing and will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was denied bail and remanded to jail on March 27.
On July 25, he pleaded guilty to one count of breaching his release order (house arrest) concerning three incidents that occurred between Jan. 30 and Feb. 7 at Beechwood.
He also pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon (brass knuckles) and breach of a release order in connection with an incident on July 1, 2024, at Killoween. The crown withdrew another charge of resisting arrest.
Crain also pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen dirt bike on May 25, 2024, and guilty to breaching his release order by failing to appear in court on July 11, 2023.
He pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering 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. His trial date on those charges was set for Jan. 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. A monitoring date was also booked for Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Crain has one more trial date set for Dec. 31 at 9:30 a.m. He pleaded not guilty to breaking into a residence and committing sexual assault for an incident between May 1, 2023, and May 23, 2023, at Moose Mountain.
Denied bail and remanded
Justin Jones, 24, of Beechwood, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 for a bail hearing on multiple charges laid by the RCMP. He was denied bail and returns to court in custody for plea on Aug. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
Jones was arrested on a warrant. He was charged with assaulting a woman with a wooden stick and assault causing bodily harm for an incident on Feb. 5 in Piercemont; possession of a firearm without a licence (a 12-gauge, pump action shotgun), possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, uttering threats, breaching a no-contact order, and resisting arrest on July 9 at Beechwood. The charges were laid following a six-hour standoff with police.
Plaster Rock man on trial
Tanner Gridzak, 24, of Plaster Rock, appeared for trial in provincial court on July 24 after pleading not guilty to several charges laid by the RCMP. After a half-day of testimony, the trial was adjourned for continuation on Aug. 13 at 1:30 p.m.
Gridzak was charged with two counts of assault with a weapon (a knife) involving two different victims, and impaired driving in connection with an incident on Nov. 11, 2023, near Arthurette.
Crewe denied bail
Samuel Robert Crewe, 31, of Jacksonville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 for a bail hearing. He was denied bail and returns to court in custody for plea on Aug. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Crewe was charged by the Woodstock Police with being at large on a release order, having violated his house arrest, stemming from an incident on June 24 in Woodstock.
He also faces additional charges of possession of cocaine and possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking on March 19 in Woodstock.
A co-accused, Kaylee Smith, has also been charged with drug trafficking and two counts of identity theft concerning the same incident on March 19 in Woodstock. She returns to court for plea on Aug. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Crewe also appeared in provincial court on June 3 and pleaded not guilty to three other charges laid by Woodstock Police. His trial date was set for July 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Crewe was charged with flight from police, dangerous driving and breach of a release order following an incident on May 6 in Woodstock.
He also appeared in provincial court on Feb. 18 and pleaded not guilty to four additional charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was set for Feb. 11, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Crewe was charged by the RCMP with possession of methamphetamine, flight from police, dangerous driving and driving while prohibited in connection with a single vehicle accident in Kirkland on Jan. 4. He has a prior criminal record.
Remanded for plea
Cole Paul Smith, 30, of Johnville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 for plea on charges laid by the RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Aug. 21 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.
Smith was arrested on a warrant on June 30 and waived his bail until a later date. The RCMP charged him with breaching a release order by violating electronic monitoring and mischief after causing damage to his ankle bracelet during an incident on June 24 at Mapledale. He was also charged with flight from police, breaching his house arrest and dangerous driving for an incident on June 29 at East Brighton.
Smith appeared in provincial court in custody via video for a bail hearing on May 1 and was released with conditions, but subsequently returned to custody. He faces an additional charge of breaching a no-contact order on May 29.
Woodstock Police also charged him with assault with a weapon (a metal stool) and two counts of uttering threats on April 10-11 in Woodstock.
RCMP charged him with assault involving a female victim, unlawful confinement, and two counts of uttering threats concerning another incident between Nov. 15 and Nov. 30, 2024, in Johnville. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainants.
Smith also appeared in provincial court on April 8 and pleaded not guilty to three other charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was set for March 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. He was charged with uttering threats, assault by choking and unlawful entry at a dwelling house on Oct. 22, 2024, at Johnville.
Bail hearing adjourned
Loic Boulay, 22, of Oromocto, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 for a bail hearing on five charges laid by Woodstock Police. His bail hearing was adjourned until July 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Boulay was charged with breaching a no-contact order, unlawful confinement, assaulting a female victim, assault by choking and uttering threats for an incident on July 15 in Northampton. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainant.
He also appeared in provincial court on July 8 and pleaded not guilty to the two additional charges laid by the Woodstock Police. His trial was set for May 15, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Boulay was charged with breaching a no-contact order and breaking into a residence on St. John Street on May 25 in Woodstock. The crown withdrew another charge of mischief.
In custody awaiting trial
Mitchell McKenzie, 39, of Wotstak (Woodstock First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 25 and pleaded not guilty to charges laid by the RCMP. His trial date was set for Sept. 10 at 1:30 p.m. A monitoring date was also booked for Aug. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
McKenzie was denied bail and remanded to jail on March 27. He was arrested and charged by the RCMP with breach of a release order (no alcohol or drugs) and committing mischief concerning an incident on March 21 at Wotstak.
He also appeared in provincial court in custody on March 17 following a five-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche hospital. Judge Karen Lee found McKenzie fit to stand trial and released him with conditions, but he returned to custody. His medical report indicated he struggles with alcohol and heavy drug use.
McKenzie appeared in court in custody on March 10 after being arrested on a warrant. RCMP charged him with assaulting another man with a weapon (a wooden pole) following an incident on July 24, 2024, at Wotstak.
He appeared in provincial court in custody on Nov. 25, 2024, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, but then failed to return to court for plea. He missed three court dates before being arrested on a warrant.
Awaiting trial date
Joshua Adam Demerchant, 35, of Pembroke, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 and pleaded not guilty to four charges laid by Woodstock Police. He returns to court in custody on Aug. 7 at 9:30 a.m. to set a trial date.
Demerchant was denied bail on June 30 after being arrested on a warrant. He faces charges of breaching a release order, dangerous driving, fleeing police, and driving while suspended for an incident in July 2024.
Demerchant pleaded not guilty to several other charges and was scheduled for trial in January, but failed to appear. Woodstock Police charged him with two counts of breaching a release order stemming from incidents on Oct. 18, 2023, in Pembroke and on Dec. 4, 2023, in Woodstock.
He was also charged by the RCMP with possession of stolen property (an ATV) and failing to stop for police in connection with an incident on July 12, 2023, near Hartland.
Newfoundland man to stand trial
Daniel Ralph Arch, 50, of Northern Arm, Newfoundland, appeared in provincial court via teleconference on July 24 for a monitoring hearing about his trial after pleading not guilty to one charge laid by the RCMP.
Arch was charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm following an accident on March 27, 2024, at Dorrington Hill near Canterbury. His trial date was scheduled for Aug. 20, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The court heard that a new date for his trial will be set at that time due to Arch having health issues.
Arrested on a warrant
Jacob Jinson, 26, of Somerville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to attend court. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on Aug. 5 at 9:30 a.m.
Jinson was charged with uttering threats on April 10, 2024, in Somerville, breaching his curfew on April 20, 2024, and failing to appear in court on Aug. 6, 2024.
Woodstock man to stand trial
Brady Crawford, 30, of Woodstock, will appear for trial in provincial court on Aug. 11 at 9:30 a.m. after pleading not guilty to charges laid by Woodstock Police. His trial was scheduled for July 24 but was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel.
Crawford appeared in provincial court in custody on Feb. 15, 2024, and was released with conditions. He was charged by Woodstock Police with two counts of assault, uttering threats and assault while threatening to use a weapon (a knife) concerning an incident on Feb. 11, 2024, in Woodstock.
He was also charged with assault and assault by choking between June 1 and Sept. 1, 2023, in Woodstock; assault by choking between Sept. 1 and Oct. 1, 2023, in Woodstock; and assault by choking and unlawful confinement between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023, in Woodstock. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainant.
In custody awaiting a verdict
Jason Norman Dumont, 40, of Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on July 21 and July 23 after pleading not guilty to several charges laid by the RCMP. The trial concluded, and the matter was set over for a decision on July 30 at 11 a.m.
RCMP charged Dumont with three counts of uttering threats, assault causing bodily harm, assault by choking, and breach of a peace bond. He was charged in connection with a series of incidents between March 17 and May 4 in Woodstock, between July 1 and 5, 2023, in Mount Pleasant, and on Oct. 24, 2015, in Mount Pleasant.
He appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on May 12 and was remanded to jail.
Sentencing delayed, new charges laid
Yves Levesque, 36, of Plaster Rock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 24 for sentencing after changing his plea to guilty on multiple charges laid by the RCMP.
Several new charges were laid against him, so his sentencing was adjourned. He returns to court in custody on Aug. 26 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on the new charges and to set another sentencing date.
Levesque was charged with theft of a vehicle, two counts of uttering threats, assault by choking involving a female victim, assault causing bodily harm, wearing a mask during the commission of an offence, and driving while prohibited for an incident between Dec. 1 and Dec. 25, 2024, near Plaster Rock.
He is awaiting sentencing on a long list of other charges. Levesque pleaded guilty to assaulting a female victim on Aug. 14, 2024, at New Denmark; guilty to assault on the same female between Oct. 1 and Oct. 27, 2024, at McLaughlin, Victoria County; guilty to uttering threats and assault by choking on Oct. 28, 2024, at Perth-Andover; guilty to uttering threats, and assault by choking on Oct. 31, 2024, at McLaughlin; guilty to assault with a weapon (a helmet), uttering threats, assault causing bodily harm, and break and enter at a dwelling house on Dec. 20, 2024, at McLaughlin; guilty to break and enter and theft, and mischief causing property damage to a shed on Dec. 21, 2024, at McLaughlin; guilty to assaulting the same female victim on Nov. 22, 2024, in Grand Falls, and breach of probation on Oct. 22, 2024, in Grand Falls. The crown withdrew nine other charges.
Moved to alternative measures
Makayla Marie Shaw, 27, of Plaster Rock, appeared for trial in provincial court on July 25 on a breach charge laid by Woodstock Police. The matter was moved to the alternative measures program, and the trial did not proceed. She has until Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. to complete the requirements of the program to have the charge withdrawn.
Shaw appeared in court in custody in February on a charge of breaching a release order (curfew) between Sept. 15, 2024, and Nov. 7, 2024, in Woodstock. She pleaded not guilty and was released to return to a rehab facility in Moncton.
Shaw and Adam Ronald Demerchant of Moncton appeared in provincial court via teleconference on April 8 and pleaded not guilty to a break and enter charge laid by Woodstock Police. Their trial date was set for April 23-24, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Woodstock Police charged the pair with breaking into a residence on Creighton Street in Woodstock on Sept. 26, 2024. Demerchant first appeared in court in custody on March 4 and was released with conditions, including entering a rehab facility.
Trial delayed
Clay Nicholson, 28, of Woodstock, formerly of Clearview, appeared in provincial court on July 23 for a monitoring hearing about his trial after pleading not guilty to multiple charges laid by the RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Aug. 12 to set a new trial date.
On July 17, the trial was delayed at the request of the crown and warrants were issued for three crown witnesses who were not present to testify at the trial on July 3.
Nicholson was charged with assault with a weapon (a pizza cutter), unlawful entry at a dwelling house, uttering threats, and assaulting another man on May 24, 2024, at Florenceville-Bristol.
He was also charged with assaulting a woman and assault by choking on Aug. 15, 2024, at Centreville, and breach of a no-contact order on Aug. 22, 2024, in Centreville.
He appeared in provincial court in custody on Aug. 26, 2024, and was released with conditions, including the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He requested to have the ankle bracelet removed at his court appearance on July 23.
In custody in Quebec
Austin Aubin, 28, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court via teleconference on July 24 for plea on charges laid by the RCMP. The court heard he was in custody in Quebec, so his plea was adjourned until Aug. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
Aubin was charged with breaching a no-contact order on April 28 in Aroostook. He appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on April 29. He was released with conditions, including house arrest and the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
At the time of his release, Aubin was residing in Campbellton. He was arrested on an allegation of breaching his release order on April 29.
Aubin was also charged by the RCMP with possession of a firearm while prohibited from having it, breach of probation, unsafe storage of a firearm, and possession of a firearm without a licence concerning a March 27 incident at Neqotkuk.
Agreed to peace bond
Dana Spencer, 42, of Fredericton, appeared for trial in provincial court on July 23 on three charges laid by the RCMP.
Spencer was charged with assault involving a female victim and uttering threats on April 15, 2024, at Maplehurst. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond on both charges, and the trial did not proceed. The peace bond will result in the charges being withdrawn.
Spencer changed his plea to guilty of breaching an undertaking (no contact order) on April 24, 2024, at Maplehurst. He also pleaded guilty to another charge of refusing a breathalyzer demand concerning a separate incident on Aug. 19, 2023, at Florenceville-Bristol. His sentencing date was set for Aug. 20 at 1:30 p.m.
Bail hearing scheduled
Crystal Lee Phillips, 44, of East Brighton, will appear in provincial court in custody by video on July 29 at 1:30 p.m. to set a date for her bail hearing.
She appeared in provincial court in custody via video on July 11, on new charges laid by the RCMP, and waived her bail until a later date. She was charged with breaching her release order (ankle bracelet) and breaking into a dwelling house on July 8 in Upper Woodstock.
She also appeared in provincial court on April 8 and pleaded not guilty to other charges laid by the RCMP. Her trial was scheduled for April 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
Phillips was charged with breaching her release order (curfew) on March 17 and resisting arrest on March 16 at Wilmot. She appeared in provincial court in custody on March 18 and was released with conditions, including house arrest and the requirement to wear an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle.
At an earlier court appearance, Phillips was charged with breaching her curfew in connection with an incident on Jan. 23 in Woodstock. She appeared in court in custody and was released with conditions. She pleaded not guilty on April 8.
Phillips is also awaiting trial on June 2 and June 4 at 9:30 a.m. and on Feb. 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. on other separate charges. She was charged by the RCMP with flight from police and dangerous driving following an incident on Feb. 24, 2024, in Jacksonville.
Woodstock Police also charged her with fleeing police and driving while suspended on Feb. 6, 2024. Additionally, she was charged with fraudulent impersonation, using a credit card knowing it was obtained by fraudulent means, and defrauding Walmart in Woodstock between Aug. 10, 2019, and June 23, 2023.
She appeared in provincial court in custody on April 18, 2024, on another charge of breaching her curfew, which was laid by the Woodstock Police.
Phillips appeared in provincial court in custody by video on April 2, 2024, on other charges laid by Woodstock Police. She was released with conditions at that time, including a curfew. She was charged with illegal possession of methamphetamine and breaking into a dwelling house on March 31, 2024, in Woodstock.
