Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By EverythingGP staff

Court

Court update: Fine in stolen property case, jail time for one person charged in another stolen property investigation

Feb 4, 2021 | 6:00 AM

Alberta Justice says the man charged after weapons and drugs were seized after a 2019 search has been given a fine.

Joey Peter Macdonald was given a $750 fine after pleading guilty to one count of unauthorized possession of a firearm January 27 in Grande Prairie court.

Nine other charges were withdrawn.

RCMP said at the time that on November 29, 2019, they searched a home in Grande Prairie after getting a tip that there was stolen property being kept there.

Police found a rifle, ammunition, and more than 20 grams of methamphetamine inside the house, another rifle and three bicycles in a detached garage, and a third rifle in a vehicle parked in the driveway.

Possession of stolen property under $5000, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a controlled substance were among the counts withdrawn.

Man sentenced in stolen property case

Alberta Justice says a seizure of drugs, weapons, and a stolen SUV near Girouxville in September of 2019 has led to a 31-month jail sentence for one of the people charged, while the counts against four other people charged have been withdrawn.

Ronald Paul Cloutier was given a 31-month sentence after pleading guilty to nine of the 16 charges he was facing January 25 in Peace River court.

The charges he pleaded guilty to included two of possession for the purpose of trafficking, several firearms counts, two failure to comply charges, and one of possession of stolen property.

He was given 24 months credit for time already spent in custody.

All charges against Thomas Cloutier, Ember Brewster, Shantelle Barclay, and Jennifer Emard were withdrawn

They were all arrested after a September 24, 2019 search of a property in the Girouxville area. McLennan RCMP said at the time that cocaine, methamphetamine, cash, a firearm plus other weapons, and an SUV reported stolen in High Prairie were all seized.

The two Cloutiers and Brewster were also charged after another search near Girouxville in October of 2018 turned up drugs, weapons, and stolen property. Al of Ronald’s charges have been withdrawn. Thomas Cloutier and Brewster have court appearances later this month, where Alberta Justice says all their charges are also to be withdrawn.