On June 9 2020, the Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services received information that several victims from an ongoing criminal matter were being intimidated and threatened.
Project Detract was launched to investigate the information.
The immediate objectives of Project Detract were to:
- protect the victims,
- determine who was responsible for the threats, and
- gather evidence to safeguard the integrity of the justice system.
Based on the investigation, it was determined that an adult male who was charged with a variety of crimes against the victims in September 2019, was responsible for the threats. Project Detract also uncovered that threats were being made towards witnesses and police officers involved with the original case.
The adult male, who was in custody at the time the threats were being made, was being assisted by individuals outside of the institution. It was ultimately determined that the suspect was seeking to have his charges dropped through intimidation.
On August 11, 2020, an adult female was arrested and charged with:
- Obstruction of justice x 4
- Counselling to commit an indictable offence namely; Intimidation of a justice system participant
On August 13, 2020, the adult male was arrested and charged with:
- Obstruction of justice x 4
- Disobeying a court order
- Counselling to commit an indictable offence namely; Intimidation of a justice system participant.
As the victims in this investigation were all youths who have suffered trauma due the actions of the suspects, the RCMP is withholding the names of the accused. For the safety of the youth victims, the Manitoba RCMP is asking media to also refrain from naming the accused.
"Last week, the Manitoba RCMP announced intimidation and obstruction charges stemming from a bomb threat in Steinbach. Today, we are announcing yet again obstruction and intimidation charges," said Superintendent Michael Koppang, Officer in Charge of Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services. "We want to make it clear to anyone who attempts to threaten victims, to go after witnesses, and intimidate our officers, that they will not succeed. The RCMP will use all available resources and will go to great lengths to protect the integrity of our justice system."