New witness statements delay trial for Centreville pair
Connell Ross McLean, 27, and Isaak Tedford Thomas, 27, of Centreville, appeared in provincial court in custody on Jan. 18 for their trial related to a series of incidents, including a police chase and shots fired.
Judge Sebastian Michaud adjourned the matter until Feb. 1 at 9:30 a.m. after the crown informed the court there were new disclosures in the form of witness statements that needed to be reviewed before the trial could proceed. A new trial date will be set on Feb. 1, or a resolution may be struck between the crown and defence counsel by that date.
McLean and Thomas were each charged by RCMP with discharge of a firearm (a rifle) with intent, improper storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, obstructing police, and possession of stolen property (a side-by-side).
Thomas was also charged with possession of a firearm while prohibited and breach of probation. McLean faces additional charges of possession of a firearm while prohibited, flight from police, driving while suspended, breach of probation, and assaulting a police officer with a weapon (a side-by-side).
The two men pleaded not guilty on all counts. They were arrested following a collision between an off-road vehicle and a police cruiser on Route 105 in Lower Brighton, south of Harland, on July 17, 2023. The arrests were related to a Monday morning incident in Speerville, south of Woodstock, which included shots fired at a Speerville resident.
The suspects fled Speerville, leading to an hours-long police search and investigation in several communities, including Lakeville, between Centreville and Woodstock, and Lower Brighton.
Hefty fine for impaired driving
Kevin Frederick Coghlan, 60, of Upper Woodstock, was fined $3,900 when he appeared in provincial court on Jan. 16 for sentencing on an impaired driving charge.
Coghlan was charged by Woodstock Police following an incident on Aug. 5, 2022, in Woodstock. He was also prohibited from driving for one year.
Florenceville-Bristol man found not guilty
Sterling Oakes, 62, of Florenceville-Bristol, appeared in provincial court on Jan. 17 and was found not guilty following his trial for sexual assault.
RCMP charged Oakes in connection with an incident on Jan. 11, 2022, near Florenceville-Bristol. The court heard the incident occurred at an apartment building on Burnham Road and involved a 19-year-old male complainant who testified Oakes touched his genitals for 10 minutes.
Oakes testified in his own defence. He admitted being at the apartment and spending time with the complainant but denied the allegation of sexual assault. Judge Lucie Mathurin ordered Oakes to sign a 12-month peace bond to have no further contact with the complainant.
Sentencing set after guilty plea
Tanya Tribe, 43, of Greenfield, appeared for trial in provincial court on Jan.17 and changed her plea to guilty on three charges laid by RCMP. Her sentencing was set for April 17 at 1:30 p.m.
She was charged with two counts of criminal harassment in connection with incidents between Aug. 10 and Aug. 12, 2022, in Windsor, and on Sept. 12, 2022, in Florenceville-Bristol, and one count of uttering threats for another incident between Aug. 10 and Aug. 12, 2022, in Windsor.
Fine and peace bonds for Upper Kintore man
Cole Wade Gray, 23, of Upper Kintore, appeared for trial in provincial court on Jan. 18 and changed his plea to guilty on one charge of failing to appear in court. He was fined $390.
RCMP also charged Gray with breaching a release order at Aroostook between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1, 2023. He returns to court for plea on that charge on Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m.
He was also charged with assault while threatening to use a weapon (brass knuckles) on Dec. 9, 2022, in Upper Kintore, and assault involving a female victim on June 13, 2023, at Kintore. He agreed to sign two 12-month peace bonds, and the assault charges did not proceed.
Gray appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on Dec. 4, 2023. He was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. His ankle bracelet was removed after he signed the peace bonds on Jan. 18.
Arrested and released with conditions
Jace Maddox Anderson, 18, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody on Jan. 18 and was released with conditions.
Woodstock Police charged him with two counts of uttering threats against a female victim in connection with incidents on Jan. 14 and Jan. 17 in Woodstock. He pleaded not guilty and returns to court on Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. to set a trial date.
Anderson also appeared in provincial court on Dec. 19, 2023, for monitoring about his upcoming trial on other charges. He returns to court on Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. to confirm he has secured legal counsel to proceed.
Woodstock Police charged Anderson with assault and uttering threats in connection with an incident at a Woodstock apartment on May 25, 2023. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial date was set for July 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Anderson also faces a charge of failing to appear in court on June 29, 2023. He will enter a plea at his next court appearance.
Released from custody
Corbin Messinger, 18, of Plaster Rock, appeared in provincial court in custody on Jan. 18 and was released with conditions. He returns to court on Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge.
Messinger was charged by RCMP with assault while threatening to use a weapon (a knife) stemming from an incident on Jan. 7 at Plaster Rock. He was ordered to have no contact with the female complainant.
Arrested in Fredericton
Zachary Sarchfield of Hartland appeared in provincial court in custody via teleconference on Jan. 18 after being arrested on a warrant in Fredericton. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea in Woodstock on Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Sarchfield failed to appear in court to answer charges on Jan. 16, and a warrant was issued. RCMP charged him with two counts of unlawful confinement, assault and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.
Trial adjourned on stolen property charge
Crystal Lee Phillips, 44, of Richmond Corner, appeared for trial in provincial court on Jan. 19 and told the court she was unprepared to proceed because she forgot about it. She did not have a lawyer and had not received disclosure on her file.
Judge Sebastian Michaud adjourned the matter until Feb. 20 at 9:30 a.m. to set a new trial date. Phillips was charged by Woodstock Police with possession of stolen property (Sobeys gift card) concerning an incident on May 30, 2022, in Woodstock.
Woodstock man arrested on warrant
Joshua Desroches, 19, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody on Jan. 19 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court. He was released with conditions and returns to court for plea on Feb. 13 at 9:30 a.m.
RCMP charged Desroches with breach of an undertaking by violating a no-contact order stemming from an incident on Sept. 25, 2023, near Woodstock. He was arrested and later released from custody with conditions, including an order to attend court and have no contact with the complainant.
Charged with firearm offences
Paul Rideout, 47, of Coldstream, will appear in provincial court on Feb. 13 at 9:30 a.m. to answer two charges laid by RCMP.
Rideout was charged with possession of several firearms without a licence and improper storage of firearms in connection with an incident on Oct. 23, 2023, at Coldstream. He made his first court appearance on Jan. 16 when the matter was adjourned for plea.
Bail hearing rescheduled
Stephen Forsythe, 61, of Centreville, will appear in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Feb. 13 at 11:30 a.m. on multiple charges laid by RCMP. He appeared in court in custody by video on Jan. 16 when the hearing was adjourned to the new date.
RCMP charged Forsythe with causing a public disturbance and resisting arrest on June 10, 2021, in Centreville, possession of a firearm without a licence, improper storage of a firearm, assault while threatening to use a weapon, and committing mischief causing property damage stemming from an incident on June 14, 2021, in Centreville. He was arrested on a warrant and remanded into custody following a court appearance on Jan. 10.
Returning to court for plea
Lucas Green, 19, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court on Jan. 16 to answer charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned for plea until Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Green was charged by RCMP with aggravated assault against another man and committing mischief causing property damage to a vehicle in connection with an incident on Oct. 19 at Richmond Corner.
He appeared in provincial court in custody on Nov. 27, 2023, for a fitness hearing. He was found fit to stand trial and released from custody with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
Green appeared in provincial court in custody in October for a bail hearing by video in Fredericton and was remanded for a 30-day mental health assessment at the Restigouche hospital.
Held in custody for bail hearing
Robert Goodine of Perth-Andover appeared in provincial court in custody on Jan. 19 and was remanded to jail. He returns to court in custody for a bail hearing on Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Goodine was charged by RCMP with assault with a weapon (a set of keys) involving a female victim between Jan. 1, 2022, and Feb. 28, 2022, at Perth-Andover; and assault by choking between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2021, at Perth-Andover. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainant.
Alleged assault in Coldstream
Tony Joe Mills, 49, of Glassville, will appear in provincial court on Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge.
RCMP charged Mills with assaulting another man stemming from an incident on Sept. 23, 2023, near Coldstream. He was scheduled to enter his plea on Jan. 16 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Arrest warrant issued
The court issued an arrest warrant for Bradley Tyler Whitney, 40, of Newbridge, after failing to appear for provincial court sentencing on Jan. 16.
Whitney was charged by Woodstock Police with two counts of driving while suspended, stemming from incidents on July 1 and July 8, 2021, in Woodstock. He entered his guilty plea at a court appearance on Oct. 16, 2023, and a sentencing date was set.
Second arrest warrant issued
The court issued an arrest warrant for Brady Melvin Crain, 27, of Wicklow, after he failed to appear for trial in provincial court on Jan. 17.
Crain was charged by RCMP on April 4, 2023, with breaching his release order. He also appeared in provincial court on March 16, 2023, on charges of breach of an undertaking, committing mischief, and taking a vehicle without consent in connection with incidents on Aug. 29, 2022, and Oct. 28, 2022, at Perth-Andover. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Crain appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 6, 2023, for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was arrested on a warrant on Aug. 28, 2023, for failing to appear for sentencing.
Crain was charged with assault on a female victim and breach of an emergency intervention order concerning incidents on April 29, 2021, and March 14, 2021, in Woodstock. RCMP also charged him with breach of a release order on Dec. 6, 2021, at Mount Pleasant. He pleaded guilty, and a sentencing date was set on July 27, 2023, but he failed to appear.
Bairdsville woman charged
Tammy Williams, 48, of Bairdsville, will appear in provincial court on Feb. 27 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on an assault charge. She was released on an undertaking until her next court appearance.
RCMP charged Williams with assault on a male victim stemming from an incident on Oct. 15, 2023, near Wicklow. She made her first court appearance on Jan. 16, when the matter was adjourned to the new date.
Trial set for Bloomfield man
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.
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. He entered his not-guilty plea on Jan. 18.
