Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit wraps up successful investigation into illegal activities involving outlaw motorcycle gangs

January 15, 2020
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

News release

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9,279 grams of cannabis bud and 2,142 grams of individually-packaged cannabis by-products, including but not limited to, butter, resin, hash and vape cigarettes
The joint investigation led to the seizure of nearly $87,000 in cash, three rifles, one shotgun, and six vehicles worth an estimated $116,000
The joint investigation led to the seizure of nearly $87,000 in cash, three rifles, one shotgun, and six vehicles worth an estimated $116,000
596 grams of cocaine

The Prince Albert Police Service and the Prince Albert RCMP, together with other agency partners, have wrapped up a successful, seven-month investigation into illegal drug trafficking activity that led to the arrest of 11 people with connections to outlaw motorcycle gangs, along with the seizure of a significant amount of cash, drugs and weapons.

Members of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) recently searched 13 residences in Prince Albert, the surrounding area, and Saskatoon as part of Project NORSE. The joint investigation led to the seizure of nearly $87,000 in cash, three rifles, one shotgun, and six vehicles worth an estimated $116,000.

Police also located the following as part of the investigation:

  • 596 grams of cocaine
  • Cocaine Press
  • 9,279 grams of cannabis bud
  • 33 cannabis plants
  • 2,142 grams of individually-packaged cannabis by-products, including but not limited to, butter, resin, hash and vape cigarettes

Police estimate the cocaine seized during the investigation would amount to 1,200 personal uses, while the cannabis bud could make an estimated 36,000 joints. The total cannabis resin seized would be enough for 1,900 sales.

Over the course of the investigation, police determined that three full-patch members of the FreeWheelers outlaw motorcycle gang were involved in illegal trafficking of a significant amount of cocaine and marihuana in Prince Albert and the surrounding rural area. Numerous others with connections to Prince Albert and Saskatoon were determined to be working in conjunction with FreeWheelers members to illegally distribute drugs around the community.

Further investigation found that marihuana was being grown under a valid Health Canada medical license and diverted onto the black market for resale. A significant amount of this marihuana was being sold at the pound level to buyers in Prince Albert. The Project NORSE investigation also determined that another man was running a commercial process where he made marihuana vapes and other professional-looking cannabis products. One man is suspected of selling products online.

Nearly 100 law enforcement officers from the Prince Albert Police Service, the RCMP and partners, including the Saskatoon Police Service, participated in the Project NORSE investigation targeting illegal activity by outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) are criminal organizations, whose illegal activities cause harm and victimization to people in communities across the country. Over the last five years, OMGs have significantly increased their criminal presence across Canada, and have developed extensive ties to other organized crime groups and street gangs.

In Prince Albert, the FreeWheelers group has been operating since May 2019, and has connections to other FreeWheelers chapters in Lloydminster and Saskatoon, along with the Hells Angels chapter out of Saskatoon.

The following people are facing a combined 73 Criminal Code charges in connection with the Project NORSE investigation:

Brody Markowski (1995-01-05) *12 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;
  • Possession of Proceeds of crime S. 354(1) of the Criminal Code (CC);
  • Conspire to traffic cocaine S. 5(1) CC, and 465(1)(c) CC;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;
  • Distribute cannabis in excess of 30 grams S. 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully distribute illicit cannabis S. 9(1)(a)(iv) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully sell cannabis S. 10(1)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess c annabis for the purpose of selling S. 10(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;

Danny Glover (1990-06-08) *7 Charges*

  • Distribute cannabis in excess of 30 grams S. 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully distribute illicit cannabis S. 9(1)(a)(iv) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully sell cannabis S. 10(1)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of selling S. 10(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;

Alexander "Michael" Fietz (1991-08-25) *12 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;
  • Possession of Proceeds of crime S. 354(1) of the Criminal Code (CC);
  • Conspire to traffic cocaine S. 5(1) CC, and 465(1)(c) CC;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;
  • Distribute cannabis in excess of 30 grams S. 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully distribute illicit cannabis S. 9(1)(a)(iv) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully sell cannabis S. 10(1)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of selling S. 10(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;

Miranda Parenteau (1996-11-22) *5 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;
  • Possession of Proceeds of crime S. 354(1) of the Criminal Code (CC);
  • Conspire to traffic cocaine S. 5(1) CC, and 465(1)(c) CC;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;

Curtis Brown (1969-02-10) *9 charges*

  • Distribute cannabis in excess of 30 grams S. 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully distribute illicit cannabis S. 9(1)(a)(iv) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully sell cannabis S. 10(1)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of selling S. 10(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;
  • Unlawfully Cultivate, propagate, harvest more than 4 plants in a dwelling-house S. 12(4)(b) and 12(9)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Careless storage of firearm S. 86(1) CC;

Warren Kreger (1981-06-27) *5 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;
  • Possession of Proceeds of crime S. 354(1) of the Criminal Code (CC);
  • Conspire to traffic cocaine S. 5(1) CC, and 465(1)(c) CC;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;

Tyler Korte (1989-03-21) *9 charges*

  • Distribute cannabis in excess of 30 grams S. 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully distribute illicit cannabis S. 9(1)(a)(iv) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully sell cannabis S. 10(1)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Unlawfully possess cannabis for the purpose of selling S. 10(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;
  • Unlawfully possess illicit cannabis S. 8 of the Cannabis Act;
  • Careless storage of firearm S. 86(1) CC;

Kaitlyn Schinold (1998-02-27) *5 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;
  • Possession of Proceeds of crime S. 354(1) of the Criminal Code (CC);
  • Conspire to traffic cocaine S. 5(1) CC, and 465(1)(c) CC;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC;

Josh Herron (2000-06-05) *2 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;

Rhonda Brown (1962-06-28) *3 charges*

  • Unlawfully Cultivate, propagate, harvest more than 4 plants in a dwelling-house S. 12(4)(b) and 12(9)(a) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Distribute cannabis in excess of 30 grams S. 9(1)(a)(i) of the Cannabis Act;
  • Conspire to possess cannabis for the purpose of distribution S. 9(2) of the Cannabis Act;

Destiny Gunville (2000-08-02) *5 charges*

  • Trafficking cocaine S. 5(1) Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA);
  • Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking S. 5(2) CDSA;
  • Possession of Proceeds of crime S. 354(1) of the Criminal Code (CC);
  • Conspire to traffic cocaine S. 5(1) CC, and 465(1)(c) CC;
  • Conspire to possess proceeds of crime S. 354(1) CC, and 465(1)(C) CC

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