By EverythingGP staff

Court

Court update: Sentencing in four cases including one involving weapons trafficking

Mar 7, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Three-year sentence for one accused in gun trafficking case

Alberta Justice says one of the three people charged in a Grande Prairie dug trafficking case has been handed a three-year sentence.

Loriann Vegso was sentenced March 3 in Grande Prairie court on a charge of trafficking weapons. Two others of possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking and one each of manufacturing a firearm and possession of stolen property were withdrawn.

Vegso was one of three people charged after an ALERT drugs and weapons seizure on May 13, 2019, in the parking lot of what police described as a Grande Prairie shopping centre. ALERT said the investigation was into a case of straw purchasing where someone with a valid license buys firearms for someone who can’t or doesn’t want their name involved in the transaction.

Police seized four firearms, a rifle, ammunition, over 800 grams of cocaine and close to $5700 cash

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A second accused, Hailey Badger, is due in Grande Prairie court for sentencing March 23. A warrant has been out for the third, Dustin Prinz, since he failed to show up for court September 27, 2021.

Trial dates set in child pornography case

Alberta Justice says trial dates have been set for a Grande Prairie man who was one of 18 people from across Alberta charged in a 2020 child pornography case.

The trial for Jesse Young is set for November 14 to 18, 2022. He is facing 19 charges.

The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team said at the time that its Internet Child Exploitation unit charged 18 suspects with 65 counts between May 20 and June 23, 2020, with most of the arrests coming as a result of information shared by the National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre.

ALERT added there did not appear to be any definitive links between the accused other than the alleged offences.

A warrant issued last June remains out for a second Grande Prairie man arrested at the same time. Anas Khatib was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on June 17, 2021.

Little Buffalo incident leads to jail time for accused

Alberta Justice says a man charged after an incident in Little Buffalo where a man was shot at after being hit with bear spray has led to a jail sentence for the accused

Jayden Lance Laboucan was given four years for discharging a firearm with recklessness. He was also given concurrent sentences of a year each on assault with a weapon and careless use or storage of a firearm, six months on unauthorized possession of a firearm and three months for a charge of threats to cause death or bodily harm.

RCMP said at the time that December 27, 2019, they got a call about several people fighting on a road just after 11:30 p.m.

They said one man bear sprayed another, left on an ATV, came back with a long-barreled firearm and took a shot at the man he had already bear sprayed before the gun was taken away.

Laboucan was arrested a short time later.

Hines Creek man sentenced in one of four cases before the court

Alberta Justice says a Hines Creek man was given a 30-day jail sentence after pleading guilty to three charges he was facing in one of his four cases before the court.

Stephen Douglas Taylor admitted to a charge of possession of stolen property and two of failure to comply. He had built up 29 days credit for pre-trial time spent in custody.

Taylor was arrested at a Berwyn home last September. RCMP said at the time he was wanted on several outstanding warrants for what they described as “a variety of person and property-related crimes.”

He is due to stand trial on charges of assault, assault with a weapon, and theft under $5000 March 9 in Fairview court.

He also has a trial date March 23 in Fairview on charges of being unlawfully in a dwelling and mischief causing damage.

Taylor also has a trial date August 24 in Fairview on a charge of housebreaking with intent and four more of failure to comply.

Third person in drug, weapons arrest given fines

Alberta Justice says a third person charged after a 2020 vehicle search has now been sentenced.

Julia Elvena King was given a $500 fine for possession of a controlled substance, along with $1000 fines each on two weapons charges February 25 in Grande Prairie court.

She and two others were charged after a traffic stop on December 2, 2020, led to a search of a vehicle. Pills, crack cocaine, crystal meth, a rifle, shotgun, baton, and brass knuckles were all seized.

In December, co-accused Jonathan Kevin Romeo Derasp was given a 90-day jail sentence after pleading guilty to two weapons charges and three more of failure to comply. He had already built up 90 days credit for pretrial time spent in custody.

A third man charged, Brian Healey, was given a $1500 fine after pleading guilty to a single count of possession of a controlled substance.