Brady Crain to serve two years in federal institution
Brady Melvin Crain, 28, of Wicklow, was handed two years in federal prison when he appeared in provincial court in custody for sentencing on May 16. He pleaded guilty to 21 charges laid by RCMP.
“It had to come to an end at some point and here we are,” said Judge Henrik Tonning during the sentencing hearing. “The best thing you can do is get off the dope and get a job. Enough with this cops and robbers nonsense, if you get into more problems in the future, it’s not going to be pretty with your record.”
Tonning ordered Crain to register with the federal DNA database and was prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years. The judge also recommended he undergo addiction counselling during his incarceration.
As Crown Prosecutor Kathleen Jacobs read the facts, the court heard how Crain went on a crime spree that escalated over several months. During one incident, he fled from the police down a trail on an ATV on Oct. 9, 2023, and tore off his ankle bracelet, which a police dog later found.
On Feb. 13, Crain also broke into a home and garage in Bath, where he stole an ATV and two chainsaws. Police spotted him at a camp in Johnville with the stolen ATV. He fled on foot toward a residence and was tasered twice before being apprehended. During his arrest, he assaulted police as he kicked and fought against being put in a police vehicle. The court heard he was “crazed on drugs” during this incident. Defence Counsel Lindsay Paul explained he was a meth user.
Crain told the court he had nothing to say about his actions before hearing his sentence. He had a prior criminal record and had been in custody since his February arrest.
Crain pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching his curfew on Feb. 23, 2023, at Perth Andover and on Dec. 6, 2021, at Mount Pleasant; taking a vehicle without consent and breach of curfew on Aug. 20, 2022, at Perth Andover; breach of an undertaking on Oct. 28, 2022, at Perth Andover; taking a vehicle without consent on and breach of an undertaking on Jan. 5, 2023, at Perth Andover; failing to appear in court on Oct. 9, 2023, in Bath; failing to wear his ankle bracelet and flight from police between Oct. 9, 2023 and Feb. 13 in Bath; mischief causing damage to his ankle bracelet on Oct. 9, 2023 in Bath; breach of a release order and failing to appear in court between Jan. 17 and Feb. 13 at Johnville; being at large on a release order, possession of a stolen ATV, two counts of assault a police officer and resisting arrest on Feb. 13 at Johnville; and guilty to break and enter at a dwelling house on Feb. 13 in Bath. The crown withdrew several other charges.
Crain also pleaded guilty to assault on a female victim and breach of an emergency intervention order concerning an incident in the Walmart parking lot on April 29, 2021. A passerby saw him assaulting a woman inside a vehicle and reported the incident to police.
McSheffrey facing 10 charges
Emily McSheffrey, 26, of Waterville, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 16 and waived her bail until later after hearing four new charges being laid against her by Woodstock Police. She returns to court in custody for plea on June 6 at 9:30 a.m.
McSheffrey was charged with break and enter at a dwelling house, theft of a TV, and breach of probation for an incident in Woodstock between April 8 and April 16. She was also charged with shoplifting at the Superstore on March 21.
McSheffrey was remanded to jail on May 14 on six other charges laid by RCMP.
RCMP charged her with assault with a weapon (a hammer) involving a male victim, mischief causing property damage and breach of probation concerning an incident on April 27 at Wostak (Woodstock First Nation). She was also charged with assaulting another man, breach of a peace bond, and breach of probation for another incident on May 4 at Killoween.
Arrested and released with conditions
Tobi Amanda Paul, 50, of Lower Woodstock, appeared in court in custody on May 16 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court.
She turned herself in to sheriffs at the courthouse and was later released with conditions. Paul returns to court for plea on May 28 at 9:30 a.m.
She was charged with assault and committing mischief causing property damage to a vehicle in an incident on Jan. 14 at Hay Settlement. She made her first court appearance on April 16 but did not return to court for a plea.
Bail hearing delayed on kidnapping charges
Sheena Sappier, 36, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in court in custody by video on May 16 and waived her bail until later. The court heard she needed more time to secure legal counsel. She returns to court in custody on May 30 at 11 a.m.
Sappier is one of seven individuals charged in relation to an alleged kidnapping with violence in the First Nation community between April 27 and April 29.
Sappier, Jacob Perley, 34, Ashley Paul, 33, Keegan Paul, 32, Preston Sockabasin, 27, Adam Perley, 33, and Troy Pelkey, 56, from Tilley, were arrested by RCMP and remanded to jail to await their bail hearings.
The victim, a 54-year-old woman from Florenceville-Bristol, was kidnapped at gunpoint, held against her will, assaulted, and administered a noxious substance with intent to extort $10,000. She was treated at the hospital with significant but non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.
A total of 62 charges were laid, including using a handgun to kidnap a female victim, extortion, uttering threats, assault, assault causing bodily harm, administering a noxious substance, forcible confinement using a choke hold, plastic bag and tape, possession of a prohibited firearm, pointing a firearm, careless use of a firearm, resisting arrest, unlawful confinement, theft of a motor vehicle, obstructing justice by disposing of evidence, and possession of a firearm without a licence.
Troy Pelkey of Tilley appeared in court on May 10 in custody by video for a bail hearing and was denied bail. He returns to court in custody for plea on May 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Jacob Perley, Ashley Paul, Keegan Paul, Adam Perley, and Preston Sockabasin appeared in court in custody by video on May 9, and their bail hearings were adjourned until May 23 at 9:30 a.m. to allow them time to secure legal counsel.
Sockabasin also faces separate charges of dangerous driving and flight from police for an incident on May 7.
Jacob Perley was also charged with breaching a conditional sentence order.
The RCMP police dog service and air services assisted with the investigation and arrests of the individuals charged. Police say the investigation is ongoing. A search warrant was executed at a residence at Neqotkuk on May 6.
In custody awaiting plea
Gary Frederick Kilcollins, 48, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 16 for a bail hearing. He waived his bail until later and returns to court in custody for plea on May 30 at 9:30 a.m.
Woodstock Police charged Kilcollins with breaking into a dwelling house, theft of a TV, and breach of probation for an incident between April 8 and April 16 in Woodstock.
He was also charged with theft from the Woodstock Superstore on March 24 and theft from the Thrift Boutique on April 13. A mischief charge was also laid for an incident on Jan. 2 when a window was broken at another property in town.
He was also charged with breaking into two trailers at Home Hardware in Woodstock.
Release scheduled after sentence is served
Shane Lee Dickison, 36, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 16 for a bail hearing. An order was made to release him from custody with conditions on May 30 after his current jail sentence is served.
Dickison will be released at the end of the month with an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He will follow a curfew and reside at a residence on Hodgdon Road. He must also abstain from drugs and have no contact with the complainants.
Dickison was 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. He returns to court for plea on June 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Dickison appeared in provincial court in custody on May 7 and was sentenced to 35 days in jail after pleading guilty to three other charges laid by Woodstock Police and RCMP.
He was also fined $100 and placed on 12 months of probation. Dickison was ordered to seek counselling for mental health and addiction. He had no prior criminal record.
He pleaded guilty to flight from police on Sept. 27, 2023, at Teeds Mill. The court heard he fled on an ATV down a trail near Hodgdon Road.
Dickison also pleaded guilty to breaching a no-contact order on Jan. 11 and violating an emergency intervention order on June 18, 2023, in Woodstock.
Bloomfield man remains in custody
A Bloomfield man remains in custody following an accident near Meductic on April 26 when a vehicle was forced off the four-lane highway by an oncoming car driving in the wrong lane.
Logan Sanders, 22, of Bloomfield, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 16 and waived his bail until later. He returns to court in custody for plea on May 30 at 11 a.m.
He was charged with indictable dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident. RCMP arrested him while attempting to cross the Woodstock/Houlton border on April 27.
Sanders also faces charges of assault with a weapon (a knife) involving a male victim and two counts of uttering threats on Sept. 1 in Bloomfield; committing mischief by damaging doors and windows on Oct. 1-31 at Maple Ridge, and committing mischief by damaging a woodstove, walls, door and a table at a residence on Dec. 1-31 in Bloomfield.
A Plaster Rock woman and three youths were not injured when their vehicle left the highway and rolled over in the ditch after swerving to avoid the oncoming car.
Beechwood man released with conditions
Jason Dickinson of Beechwood appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 16 for a bail hearing. He was released with conditions until his trial on Feb. 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.
Dickinson was arrested for allegedly violating the terms of a no-contact order and spent several days in jail. He was charged with breaching a release order issued by the court in Edmundston. Dickinson pleaded not guilty to the breach, and his trial date was set.
