Photo credit: EverythingGP staff.

By EverythingGP staff

Court

Court update: Sentencing in child pornography case, trial dates in sexual assault case, stay of proceedings in drug arrest, jail sentence for flight from police

Aug 8, 2025 | 6:00 AM

Another accused in child pornography arrest given jail time

Alberta Justice says a third accused in an ALERT child pornography arrest from 2023 has been given jail time.

Stuart Kuechle was given a one year sentence on a charge of possession of child pornography in Grande Prairie court. Two other charges were withdrawn.

He was one of five people charged in a November 2023 set of arrests by ALERT after an investigation called ICE Tundra.

The investigation started in October of 2023 and included searches of seven different homes from November 27-30 of that year.

The investigation started after officials noticed an increase in case referrals from Grande Prairie.

Last month, another accused, Christopher Nanemahoo, was given an 18-month jail sentence on charges of distributing and possessing child pornography.

Last October, Naitram Ramnarane, was given a year in jail and two years probation after pleading guilty to accessing child pornography.

The cases against the other two accused are still before the court.

Trial for accused in sexual assault case to take place in December

Alberta Justice says a trial will be held in December for a one time school division employee accused of sexual charges involving a youth.

The trial will be held December 16 to 19, 2025, in Peace River court.

The charges include two counts of luring a child, making sexually explicit material available to a child, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and sexual interference.

McLennan RCMP said at the time they got a report of sexual offences involving a youth in June of 2023.

A court-ordered publication ban prohibits the publication of any identifying information of the victim.

Stay of proceedings in Grande Prairie drug arrest

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

Jonathan Allan Austin was facing charges that included seven counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Grande Prairie RCMP said at the time on January 20, 2025, a traffic stop led to the seizure of drugs that included cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.

Grimshaw crime reduction blitz leads to jail sentence for one accused

Alberta Justice says a 90-day jail sentence has been given to one person arrested after what RCMP called a crime reduction blitz in Grimshaw.

Christopher Valin was given the 90-day sentence after pleading guilty to a charge of flight from a peace officer in Peace River court.

RCMP said at the time on March 13, 2024, a driver sped away from an attempted traffic stop.

Surveillance officers then spotted the vehicle and made an arrest.

Valin is also facing a charge of murder after a man from Manning was found dead in a remote area near Fairview on May 25, 2024.

A preliminary hearing will be held in March.

Two others charged with accessory after the fact and indignity to a body also have preliminary hearings scheduled in the new year.