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Photo credit: EverythingGP staff.
By EverythingGP staff
Court

Court update: Sentences given, stay of proceeding in drug case

Nov 9, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Jail, probation for one person charged in child pornography arrest

Alberta Justice says one of the five people charged after a 2023 investigation into child pornography has been given one year in jail plus two years probation.

Naitram Ramnarane pleaded guilty to a count of accessing child pornography October 31 in Grande Prairie court. Two other charges; possession of child pornography and distributing, importing, or selling child pornography were withdrawn.

He and four others were arrested after an investigation that started in October of 2023, and seven searches done on seven separate homes in Grande Prairie in late November of 2023. These searches were done by the ALERT Internet Child Exploitation unit and Grande Prairie RCMP.

ALERT said at the time of the investigation, dubbed Operation ICE Tundra, started after an increase in referrals from the RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre that came from Grande Prairie.

ALERT says the investigations were separate from one another, but were connected by suspects getting and saving child porn. from the internet.

The others charged have future court dates.

Time served for man charged after vehicle flees traffic stop

Alberta Justice says a man who took off from an attempted vehicle stop in downtown Grande Prairie in 2023 has been sentenced to time served.

Koang Mach of Grande Prairie was given a sentence 180-days time served after pleading guilty to a charge of flight from a peace officer. Ten other charges were withdrawn.

RCMP said at the time on May 24, 2023, just after 1 p.m., police tried to pull over a vehicle that was being driven erratically near 102 Street and 101 Avenue.

The driver took off. Mounties did not give chase out of concern for public safety. Police monitored the vehicle until it stopped in the Pinnacle Ridge area.

RCMP found a firearm and ammunition when they searched that same vehicle.

Stay of proceedings in drug case

Alberta Justice says a stay of proceedings is now in place in a drug case.

This was put in place in the case against Jordan Monette and Meagan Harris, both from Grande Prairie, just before they were to stand trial on charges that included two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking in October.

They were charged after two searches done in Grande Prairie in August of 2021 turned up 260 grams of cocaine, 32 grams of fentanyl, and 17 grams of methamphetamine.

Mounties also seized a handgun and $29,000 cash.

A 17-year-old youth was also charged.

by EverythingGP staff