Woodstock man remanded for bail hearing
Corey Andrew Lane, 39, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody on July 19 to answer new charges laid by RCMP. He was remanded to jail to await a bail hearing on July 23 at 1:30 p.m.
Lane was charged with uttering threats, mischief causing property damage to a vehicle, and breach of a no-contact order following an incident on July 18 at Jackson Falls.
He also appeared in provincial court on May 21 and pleaded not guilty to other separate charges laid by RCMP. His trial date was set for June 9, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Lane was charged with assault involving a female victim on Jan. 1 at Newbridge and breach of a no-contact order on Feb. 7 at Newbridge. He was also charged with failing to appear in court on March 5 and March 14, breaching an undertaking by violating a no-contact order on Feb. 7 at Newbridge and breaching a release order on April 23 at Woodstock. He was ordered to have no contact with the complainant.
Lane appeared in provincial court in custody on March 28 and was released with conditions. He was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear.
Woodstock man handed conditional discharge
Christopher James Kitchen, 45, of Beardsley Road, appeared for sentencing in provincial court on July 17 after pleading guilty to two charges laid by Woodstock Police. He received a conditional discharge and 15 months of probation. He must also pay a $200 fine.
Kitchen was charged with breach of an undertaking and criminal harassment following incidents between March 3 and March 17, 2023, in Woodstock. The harassment charge involves allegations of repeated communication with a female complainant.
Associate Chief Judge Brian C. Mclean ordered him to seek mental health and addiction counselling as part of his probation. Kitchen had no prior criminal record. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim.
One trial cancelled, two more pending
Dustin Arthur Hawksley, 28, of Greenfield, appeared for trial in provincial court in custody on July 17 on assault charges when the crown decided to call no evidence.
As a result, Judge Lucie Mathurin handed the accused a directed verdict of not guilty, and the case was dismissed.
Hawksley was charged by RCMP with break and enter at a dwelling house, two counts of assault on a female victim, and assault with a weapon (a plate) in connection with an incident on July 2, 2023, at Bloomfield. He pleaded not guilty.
When the trial did not proceed, the crown requested that a no-contact order involving the female complainant be lifted.
Hawksley remains in custody and has two more trial dates pending.
RCMP charged him with breach of a release order by violating electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet), escaping lawful custody, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest in connection with an incident on Dec. 6, 2023, at Greenfield. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m.
The charges allege Hawksley removed his ankle bracelet. When under arrest, he allegedly punched a police officer in the face, kicked police while they were loading him into a vehicle, and tried to make his escape.
Hawksley pleaded guilty to another charge of failing to report to the national sex offender registry on April 28, 2023. His sentencing was set for Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m.
Woodstock Police also charged him with assaulting a female, assault by choking and breach of an undertaking for another incident on Aug. 5, 2023, in Woodstock. He pleaded not guilty, and his trial date was set for Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m.
Hawksley appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing in September and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was also placed under house arrest at a residence in Greenfield but was brought back into custody in December. On Dec. 20, 2023, he appeared in court in custody for a bail hearing and was remanded to jail.
Trial set on drug trafficking charges
William Jarred O’Donnell, 28, of Grafton, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 18 and pleaded not guilty to three counts of drug trafficking and theft. His trial date was set for Nov. 28-29 at 9:30 a.m. He waived his bail until later.
Woodstock Police charged O’Donnell with possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, and the drug known as ecstasy, all for the purpose of trafficking in connection with an incident on May 21 in Woodstock. He was remanded to jail on May 22.
On July 18, a new charge of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000 was laid against him. On May 21, Woodstock Police charged O’Donnell with breach of a release order and mail theft.
He is also awaiting sentencing in October on other separate drug charges after changing his plea to guilty before his trial at the Court of King’s Bench.
Two charged in break-in
Mitchell Hillman, 36, of Wilmot, will appear in provincial court on July 23 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on a charge related to a break-in at the tourist bureau at Richmond Corner. He appeared in court on July 18 when the matter was adjourned to a new date at the request of his defence counsel.
Michael Holt, 68, of Riverglade, will also appear in provincial court on July 23 at 9:30 a.m. to answer a charge stemming from the same break-in. He appeared in court on June 11 for a plea when the matter was adjourned to a new date.
The RCMP charged the pair with break-and-entry and theft concerning an incident on Feb. 19.
New trial date for drug trafficking charges
Keith Reid, 33, of Fredericton, appeared in provincial court on July 18 to set a new date for his trial on drug trafficking charges laid by RCMP. His three-day trial was reset for Feb. 10-13, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Reid was charged by RCMP with possession of methamphetamine and possession of cocaine for trafficking, possession of a firearm (a shotgun) without a licence, and improper storage of a firearm in connection with an incident on Oct. 3, 2023, in Hartland. He also faces two counts of a breaching a release order that includes other matters in Fredericton. He pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Reid was denied bail in October but won his release during a detention review hearing at the Court of King’s Bench on June 20. He was released on conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle.
A press release from the RCMP said the drug charges were laid after a vehicle was stopped in Woodstock, and the driver was arrested at the scene. A search of the individual led to the seizure of a quantity of crystal meth. A 19-year-old female passenger was also found in possession of meth pills and crystal meth and was released from custody until her court appearance.
Police also executed a search warrant at a residence on Main Street in Hartland, where cocaine, crystal meth, meth pills, a loaded shotgun, shotgun shells, weapons and drug paraphernalia were found as part of the investigation.
Plymouth Road man unprepared for trial
Andrew Pelkey, 45, of Plymouth Road, appeared in provincial court on July 19, unprepared for his trial on eight charges laid by RCMP. The court heard the trial had been adjourned during two previous court appearances.
Pelkey pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon (a belt, glass bottle and stick), assault by choking, uttering threats, assault, pointing a firearm at another person, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace (BB guns and a pellet gun), careless use of a firearm, and willfully causing pain to a dog by shooting it with a pellet gun. The alleged threats and assaults involve a female victim in connection with incidents which occurred between Feb. 1 and March 21, 2023, near Richmond Corner.
Defence Counsel Alex Carleton explained he was unable to contact Pelkey or communicate with him for months to prepare for the trial on Friday. He asked to be removed as solicitor of record.
Another court-appointed lawyer, David Estey, advised the court that he could not assist Pelkey with cross-examination due to a conflict of interest.
Associate Chief Judge Brian C. McLean told Pelkey he was “not impressed” with his lack of cooperation in preparing for trial. McLean adjourned the trial again to Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m. and also set a monitoring date for Aug. 6 at 9:30 a.m. The judge warned Pelkey there would be no further adjournments and the trial would proceed in August.
Pelkey appeared in provincial court in custody for a bail hearing on Feb. 5 and was released with conditions. He was arrested on a warrant when he appeared for trial in provincial court on Feb. 2. His trial was then adjourned until July 19.
The warrant was issued after Pelkey failed to appear in court for plea on Dec. 19, 2023. He was also charged with breaching his release order by violating his curfew following an incident in Woodstock on Sept. 30, 2023.
Jointly charged in violent kidnapping
Sheena Sappier, 36, Keagan Paul, 32, and Ashley Paul, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court on July 18, jointly charged about an alleged kidnapping with violence in the community in April.
The matter was adjourned for plea until Aug. 9 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of their defence counsel. Ashley Paul appeared in custody by video after being denied bail on June 27.
Sheena Sappier and Ashley Paul were each charged with kidnapping a female victim, unlawful confinement, attempting to obstruct justice by disposing of evidence, and theft of a motor vehicle.
Keagan Paul was charged with unlawful confinement, using a handgun to kidnap a female victim and being an occupant of a vehicle, knowing it carried a firearm.
Preston Sockabasin, 27, Adam Perley, 33, and Jacob Perley, 34, of Neqotkuk, appeared in provincial court on July 16 for a plea on multiple charges stemming from the same incident.
RCMP jointly charges them with forcible confinement by choking and suffocation, unlawful confinement, administering a noxious substance, using a handgun to kidnap a female victim, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, assault causing bodily harm, and extortion with violence to obtain $10,000. The matter was adjourned for plea until Aug. 20 at 11 a.m.
Both Adam Perley and Jacob Perley appeared in custody. Adam Perley was denied bail on May 30.
Jacob Perley was also charged with pointing a firearm at a female victim, possession of a restricted weapon (a handgun), and obstructing a police officer.
He was also charged with breaching a conditional sentence order (house arrest). He appeared in court in custody by video on June 3 and was remanded to complete the rest of his sentence (317 days) behind bars.
On June 18, Jacob Perley was also ordered to serve another 27 days in jail for defaulting on a $1,200 fine for suspended driving. He will also stand trial in January on fraud charges.
Preston Sockabasin is also facing a charge of possession of a firearm without a licence and charges of dangerous driving and flight from police for a separate incident on May 7 at Neqotkuk.
Troy Pelkey, 56, of Tilley, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on June 18 and pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged kidnapping. His three-day trial was set for Sept. 11-13 at 9:30 a.m. Pelkey was denied bail on May 10.
On July 16, the court heard the crown intends to apply to jointly charge Pelkey with the same offences as Adam Perley, Jacob Perley and Preston Sockabasin. The crown will bring the matter forward on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m.
Ashley Paul also pleaded guilty on July 18 to several other separate charges.
She pleaded guilty to uttering a forged document ($2,000) and fraud for an incident on Oct. 10, 2023, at Perth Andover. The crown withdrew two other charges of possession of stolen cheques and breach of probation.
On Feb. 14, at Neqotkuk, she agreed to sign a 12-month peace bond in relation to other charges of unlawful entry into a dwelling house and breach of probation.
She pleaded guilty to assaulting another woman on March 2 at Perth-Andover while the crown withdrew another charge of breach of probation. She also pleaded guilty to obstructing police on April 11 at Neqotkuk and guilty to failing to appear in court on March 19.
Ashley Paul’s sentencing date will be set at her next court appearance on Aug. 9 at 9:30 a.m. She has a limited prior criminal record.
Keagan Paul and Preston Sockabasin appeared in provincial court in custody on June 6 for their bail hearings, which were conducted via video.
They were released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to their ankles. They must also follow a curfew and undergo a 90-day drug rehabilitation program in their community.
Both men were ordered to abstain from alcohol and drugs, and they were prohibited from possessing firearms. Paul and Sockabasin were also ordered to have no contact with the victim or any of the five others charged in the crime.
Sappier appeared in provincial court in custody by video on May 31 for her bail hearing and was released with conditions, including a curfew and wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle. She must also enter a drug rehab program in her community.
The victim, a 54-year-old woman from Florenceville-Bristol, was kidnapped at gunpoint, held against her will for two days, assaulted, and administered a noxious substance with intent to extort $10,000. She was treated at a 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.
The RCMP police dog service and air services assisted with the kidnapping investigation and arrests of the seven individuals charged. Police say the investigation is ongoing. A search warrant was executed at a residence at Neqotkuk on May 6.
