Eight court updates, including forcible confinement, drug trafficking and human trafficking cases

Frampton was arrested on December 20, 2023.

RCMP said at the time that they were called out at 11 a.m. that day to a home in the northwest part of Grande Prairie.

A woman had been assaulted and injured by a man who also fired a weapon inside the home.

Police were later able to get her out after what Mounties termed an interaction with the suspect after they were able to get inside the home.

The man later fired another shot. Police shot back, hitting him.

Both the suspect and the woman involved were taken to hospital.

Three-year jail sentence in drug trafficking case

Alberta Justice says a man charged in a Grande Prairie dug investigation has been given a 36-month jail sentence.

James Burwash was due to stand trial from May 4-8, but instead pleaded guilty to five of the nine charges he was facing on April 17 in Grande Prairie court.

Those included three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property over $5000 and possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm.

Burwash was charged after Mounties and police dogs searched a home in the Patterson area on February 22, 2024.

The search turned up over 900 grams of methamphetamine, close to 150 grams of cocaine, fentanyl, oxycodone pills, almost $15,000 cash, a handgun and two sawed-off rifles.

Two of three people charged in human trafficking case sentenced

Alberta Justice says two of three people charged in a human trafficking case have been sentenced.

Romeo Junior Spence was given a sentence of 18 months in jail, minus 22 days credit for pre-trial time spent in custody, after pleading guilty to a charge of procuring. Four other charges, including one of trafficking in persons, were withdrawn.

Hipai Godfrey Bangisa pleaded guilty to publication of an intimate image without consent and was given probation.

ALERT said in October 2023 that three Grande Prairie suspects had been arrested the previous month after a woman was lured here from Toronto with what looked like a legitimate job.

She was forced into working in the sex trade and was threatened with violence.

She escaped in May of 2023 and contacted police in Toronto.

The third person charged, Andre Wright, will stand trial in October.

Guilty plea in pointing a firearm arrest

Alberta Justice says a man charged after an incident earlier this year involving the pointing of a replica firearm pleaded guilty to one of two charges.

Hunter Phillip Joachim of Horse Lake admitted to a count of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public in Grande Prairie court. He was given a 30-day jail sentence. Charges of pointing a firearm and failure to comply were withdrawn.

RCMP said at the time that on March 215, 2026, just after 1 p.m., they got a report of what they described as “a disturbance at Northwestern Polytechnic.”

They added that a man became aggressive and had pointed a toy gun at several people.

The same man was seen at other locations around Grande Prairie.

Jail sentence in stolen vehicle, flight from police incident

Alberta Justice says the accused in a 2025 case involving a stolen vehicle and reckless driving has been given a 15-month jail sentence.

Christopher Lane Lindgren of Bezanson pleaded guilty to charges of flight from a peace officer, possession of stolen property over $5000, and failure to comply with a release order in Grande Prairie court. Six other charges were withdrawn.

RCMP said at the time that on July 15, 2025, they saw a suspect they knew was under court orders driving a stolen truck.

Police tried to pull the truck over, but the driver took off. Mounties did not give chase because of concern for public safety.

The same suspect was later found by Clairmont Lake trying to spray paint the truck, where he was arrested.

Community sentence in weapons case

Alberta Justice says one of two people charged in a 2025 weapons arrest has been given a Conditional Sentence Order.

Michael Terrance Lukac was given an eight-month sentence to be served in the community after pleading guilty to a pair of weapons charges in Grande Prairie court.

RCMP said at the time that on May 8, 2025, they pulled over a truck with what police called faulty equipment.

Mounties then saw drugs inside the vehicle. Two people were arrested.

A search turned up a stolen revolver and ammunition. A small amount of crack cocaine and unstamped tobacco were also found.

Co-accused Tasha Kristine Lanz is to stand trial in December.

Stolen property case concludes in Peace River court

Alberta Justice says a stolen property case in Peace River court has concluded, with a jail sentence for one accused and charges withdrawn for another.

Three charges of possession of stolen property were withdrawn against Carlamae Evelyn Underwood of Nampa May 6 in Peace River court.

In March, Richard James William Frey, also of Nampa, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of stolen property and operation of a vehicle while prohibited. He was given a 120-day sentence on the first charge and a concurrent 90-day sentence on the second one.

Peace Regional RCMP said that on December 2, 2025, they answered a call about a suspicious truck loaded with steel pipe.

Police found two stolen vehicles. Two suspects were charged.

Sentences given out in High Level shooting

Alberta Justice says sentences have been given out to five people arrested after a shooting incident in High Level.

Mateo Ahnassey was given a 180-day sentence after pleading guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm in a vehicle.

Troy Damian Francis was given a 45-day sentence on the same charge. Jesse Lee Roger Chalifoux also pleaded guilty to this charge.

Savanna Chambaud-Chalifoux is under a peace bond that protects others.

Jamie Marie Hollands pleaded guilty to a single charge of possession of a controlled substance and was given 12 months probation.

High Level RCMP said at the time that on January 12, 2025, they got a report that a shot had been fired towards a house and that someone may have been trying to get in.

Mounties made five arrests and seized two firearms, 2800 unstamped cigarettes, and 50 grams of suspected cocaine.

by EverythingGP staff