Court Docket - Suspect in fentanyl bust makes court appearance, several property crime offenders sentenced

An image released on Thursday of drugs, cash and weapons seized during a city drug bust last month. (Image courtesy of ALERT)

A 44-year-old man facing charges relating to a police bust involving a kilo of cocaine and nearly as much of fentanyl had his bail hearing put over until Monday.

The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) issued a media release Thursday describing the seized of drugs, cash and weapons as one of the largest busts in Medicine Hat involving fentanyl following recovery of 800 grams of the illicit drug.

An undisclosed amount of cash and two vehicles were also seized during the bust at a Flats neighbourhood home on June 13 along with some of the total amount of drugs.

Sean Allen Bowers, 44, made a brief appearance on allegations involving drug trafficking, weapons offences and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

His matter was adjourned to July 7 when a bail hearing is anticipated to be held.

Two others arrested in the bust, Robert Jones, 38, and Sonya Bayes, 35, are also facing charges relating to drug trafficking.

 Year in jail following guilty plea in rash of property crimes

A 26-year-old man with no fixed address was sentenced to a year behind bars following an early guilty plea to a series of property crimes which took place over the last two months.

Jayden Nicholas Skinner pled guilty to possession of stolen property in connection with a May 3 incident involving a Town & Country minivan, theft of a Hyundai Santa Fe on June 1, break-in of a garage on June 10.

The court heard Skinner was caught several times on home surveillance videos while a witness also took a photo of him following one of the garage break ins. In multiple instances, Skinner was seen wearing the same or similar outfits with police able to identify him as a suspect.

Skinner informed police where the two vehicles could be recovered. Multiple power tools stolen during one of the garage break ins worth an estimated $2,900 were not recovered.

In addition to the one-year term of custody, Skinner will be on probation for 12 months upon release which include conditions not to be within 100 metres of the homes involved in the property crimes.

More than four-month sentence for uttering threats, mischief and assaulting officer

A 53-year-old homeless chronic alcoholic was handed a 125-day custodial sentence after going on a tirade against an Alberta Works employee, clients of Community Housing, a local retailer and taking a swing at a city cop.

Colin Douglas Third was charged with uttering threats against an Alberta Works employee after a series of threatening comments made over February this year. Those comments included telling the employee he knew where he lived, that his days were numbered and that Third was going to punch him out.

Those charges were followed by incidents last month in which Third spewed racial epitaphs at clients of Community Housing and homophobic comments at police called to deal with the matter.

Police body camera footage taken at the time of Third’s latest arrest showed Third taking a wild swing at police who had approached him.

Police appeared familiar with Third in the footage with one officer remarking, “you are nicer when you are off the sauce.”

The court heard Third has been banned from the city shelter, lives on the streets, has been kicked out of addictions treatment previously and has also been a victim of crime himself from others within the unhoused community.

However, it was noted Third’s record involving similar allegations of mischief, assaulting police and uttering threats has reached nearly two dozen.

Third was given 63 days credit for pre-trial custody with a little more than two months left on his sentence.

Three months custody for car theft

Cody Allan Rak, 26, was handed a 90-day sentence following a guilty plea to possession of stolen property over $5,000.

The court heard Rak was arrested the day after a vehicle was reported stolen from a Southeast Hill neighbourhood home on March 18.

Police saw the vehicle on Aberdeen Street and when it was discovered it was reported stolen, returned to the area and saw Rak and another individual walking in the vicinity of the parked vehicle.

The two were detained while a canine unit was called with the police service dog tracking the men’s scent from the vehicle to where they were being detained.

Given credit for pre-trial custody, Rak has six days remaining on his sentence.