Woodstock Provincial Court: RCMP officer returns to court Feb, 24 on theft, breach of trust charges

by | Feb 1, 2025

3,600 pages in crown file on RCMP officer

Constable Christopher Sorensen, 44, a member of the Woodstock RCMP, will appear in provincial court on Feb. 24 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on theft charges and one count of breach of trust.

Sorensen was scheduled for plea on Jan. 29, but the matter was adjourned to the new date at his lawyer’s request.

Defence Counsel Bruce Phillips of Moncton appeared in court via teleconference and requested more time to review the crown’s 3,600-page disclosure of evidence.

The police officer did not attend the hearing on Jan. 29. He faces four counts of theft and one count of breach of trust concerning missing and unaccounted-for exhibits, including cash, seized during a recent crime investigation. Sorensen was a member of the Provincial Crime Reduction Unit.

The charges against him followed an investigation launched in April 2024 by the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT), an agency that independently investigates accusations against police officers in New Brunswick.

Pelkey sentencing delayed

A Plymouth Road man, who admitted to beating and abusing his former partner for weeks, is expected to receive a lengthy jail term on Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m.

Andrew Pelkey, 43, appeared in provincial court for sentencing on Jan. 31 after changing his plea to guilty on several charges laid by RCMP.

The matter was adjourned because his lawyer was not available to attend court in Woodstock due to other matters scheduled in Fredericton.

At an earlier court appearance, Crown Prosecutor Charles Couturier told the court Pelkey deserved 12 to 18 months in jail, while Defence Counsel Wanda Severns asked for house arrest.

The crown also requested that Pelkey be placed on 24 months of probation after his release from jail and register with the federal DNA database.

A 20-year prohibition on weapons was also recommended for the accused, along with an order for Pelkey to attend counselling for mental health and alcohol abuse. All firearms seized by police during the investigation are to be forfeited to the crown.

Pelkey was facing eight charges and pleaded guilty to five of them on summary conviction. He pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon (a belt, bottle and stick), assaulting a woman by choking her, uttering threats, pointing a firearm at another person, and careless use of a gun. He had a limited prior criminal record.

Three other charges of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace (BB guns and a pellet gun), assault, and willfully causing pain to a dog by shooting it with a pellet gun will be withdrawn by the crown at sentencing. The woman told police two dogs were shot and killed by the accused, but Pelkey refused to admit it.

The court heard the charges involved a series of violent domestic assaults between Feb. 1, 2023, and March 21, 2023, at Richmond Corner. The woman suffered head and facial injuries, bruises to her arms and back, and a cut on her leg.

She was kicked, beaten with a belt and belt buckle, and hit over the head with a stick of wood and a plastic liquor bottle. Pelkey also pulled her hair, choked her on the living room floor, put a knife to her throat, and tore her clothes.

During one incident, he shot the victim with a BB gun. One other morning, she woke up to a beating when he smashed her in the teeth. She finally went to the police and told them his violent attacks were escalating, and she feared for her life.

Police arrested Pelkey when an emergency intervention order was issued to remove him from the home. Police found and seized five firearms (BB guns and a pellet gun) from the residence.

The woman told the crown it took a month for all of her injuries to heal, and she still suffers from headaches. She has no further contact with the accused and attended court with family members who were seated with her in the gallery.

Pelkey also pleaded guilty to failing to appear in court on Dec. 19, 2023, and breaching his release order by violating curfew on Sept. 30, 2023.

Woodstock man awaits sentencing

Corey Andrew Lane, 39, of Woodstock, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on Jan. 29 and changed his plea to guilty on several charges laid by RCMP.  His sentencing date was set for March 11 at 1:30 p.m.

He pleaded guilty to uttering threats, mischief causing property damage to a vehicle, and breach of a no-contact order following an incident on July 18, 2024, at Jackson Falls.

Lane also pleaded guilty to uttering threats and breach of a no-contact order for another incident on July 15, 2024, at Newbridge. The crown withdrew another charge of assault.  

He pleaded guilty to assault involving a female victim on Jan. 1, 2024, at Newbridge; guilty to breach of a no-contact order on Feb. 7, 2024, at Newbridge; guilty to failing to appear in court on March 5, 2024; and guilty to breach of an undertaking and failing to appear in court on May 14, 2024. The crown withdrew another charge of breaching a release order in April 2024.

Woodstock Police also charged Lane with prowling at night near a dwelling house on Main Street in Woodstock and breach of probation on May 28, 2024. The crown withdrew those charges. Lane has been in custody since last July.

Sentencing set on multiple charges

Edward Hayes Jr., 29, of Benton, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody by video on Jan. 30 and changed his plea to guilty on seven charges laid by RCMP. His sentencing date was set for March 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Hayes pleaded guilty to refusing a breathalyzer demand, resisting arrest, assaulting two police officers, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, assault causing bodily harm on a female victim, mischief causing property damage to a vehicle, and driving while prohibited in connection with an incident on Aug. 27, 2024, at Centreville.

At an earlier court appearance, Hayes also pleaded guilty to flight from police and breach of probation, shoplifting at the Superstore in Grand Falls on May 24, 2023, and breach of probation on March 14, 2023, in Grand Falls. His sentencing was adjourned to March 4 at 1:30 p.m.

Released to enter rehab facility

Brycen Trae Stewart, 28, of Lakeville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Jan. 30 for a bail hearing after being arrested on warrants. He was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.

The court heard Stewart would be entering a rehab facility in Moncton under house arrest. He returns to court for plea on Feb. 25 at 9:30 a.m.

“This is your last chance, to be perfectly frank,” Judge Henrik Tonning told the accused. “If you screw up again, you’re going back to jail, and you won’t be released again, understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” Stewart replied.

Woodstock Police charged him with dangerous driving, fleeing police, and breaching his curfew on Dec. 16, 2024, in Woodstock. He was also charged with breaching a no-contact order on Jan. 13 in Woodstock.

A warrant was issued for Stewart’s arrest after he failed to appear in court to answer charges on Dec. 10, 2024. He also failed to appear in court on Oct. 30, 2024, and an arrest warrant was issued at that time.

He was charged with two counts of breaching his release order (curfew) concerning incidents on Sept. 24 and Oct. 8, 2024, in Woodstock.

Stewart was also charged with breaking into a dwelling house on May 25, 2024, in Killoween and possessing a stolen vehicle on Aug. 4, 2023, in Lakeville.

Agreed to peace bond

Chad Evans Cote, 45, of Anfield, Victoria County, appeared in provincial court on Jan. 30 for monitoring about his trial after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by RCMP. He agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond, and his March trial was cancelled.

Cote was charged with assaulting another man and uttering threats following an incident on Nov. 12, 2023, at Perth-Andover. The peace bond will result in the charges being withdrawn.

Not guilty of assault

Sara Ann Broad, 41, of Moose Mountain, appeared in provincial court on Jan. 30 for a verdict following her trial on an assault charge laid by RCMP. Judge Lyne Raymond found her not guilty of the offence.

RCMP charged Broad with assault involving a female minor in connection with an incident between Sept. 27 and Dec. 27, 2022.

Broad also appeared for trial in provincial court on Jan. 10 on three other charges laid by the RCMP. The crown called no evidence, and Broad received a directed verdict of not guilty.

Broad was charged with mischief on June 18, 2023, and assault and breaching a no-contact order on June 28, 2023, at Johnville. Those charges were dismissed when the male complainant failed to appear to testify.

The crown also withdrew two other charges of mischief and impaired driving for an incident on Aug. 13, 2023.

Couple facing trafficking charges

A Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation) couple will appear in provincial court in custody by video on Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on multiple charges laid by RCMP.

Nicholas Paul, 47, and his wife, Jennifer Louise Paul, 45, were arrested at Neqotkuk. 

Jennifer Paul was denied bail in December. She was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property (cash), possession of a prohibited firearm (a sawed-off shotgun) without a licence, and being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a gun for an incident on Sept. 25, 2024, at Neqotkuk.

Nicholas Paul was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of stolen property (cash) for an incident on Oct. 23, 2024, at Neqotkuk. He appeared in court in custody by video on Jan. 30 and waived his bail until later.

At the time of their arrest, they were each charged by RCMP with possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking for an incident on Oct. 23, 2024, at Neqotkuk. 

Jennifer Paul was also charged with breach of a release order (no weapons), possession of a stolen licence plate, and possession of a prohibited weapon (a collapsible baton) without a licence on Oct. 23, 2024, at Neqotkuk. She pleaded not guilty and has trial dates in April.

Nicholas Paul was also charged with breach of a release order and driving while prohibited on Sept. 22-24, 2024, at Neqotkuk, and breach of a release order (no drugs), possession of ammunition while prohibited, and possession of a stolen licence plate on Oct. 23, 2024, at Neqotkuk.

N.B. ROAD CONDITIONS (click to view current)

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