Dane Skinner of Sylvan Lake stands accused in a $2.6 million fraud case involving a reported 'revolutionary fracking product.' (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Sheldon Spackman

Lengthy Trial Scheduled

Sylvan Lake man charged in alleged $2.6M fraud case frustrated with length of court process

Nov 5, 2019 | 10:18 AM

A Sylvan Lake man charged in an alleged $2.6 million fraud case expressed his frustration in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Monday about the length of time it’s taking for his matter to be resolved.

Dane Michael Skinner, 55, is still in the process of securing a new lawyer ahead of a pre-trial conference scheduled for Dec. 17, where it’s expected he will have come up with the roughly $125,000 needed to secure legal counsel.

“This should have been done eight years ago, not now,” vented Skinner.

Following the pre-trial conference, five days of pre-trial motions are anticipated to begin February 10, 2020, with an expected seven-week trial currently set to start on March 1, 2021.

However, according to R v Jordan, a trial must begin within 30 months of charges being laid in Court of Queen’s Bench cases. Skinner was arrested on July 25, 2018, meaning his his trial would have to take place starting by January 24, 2021. As a result, places such as Calgary and Edmonton have been discussed as possible alternate locations for Skinner’s trial.

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Skinner’s arrest came after an extensive and complex, years-long investigation by Blackfalds RCMP and Red Deer Financial Crimes Unit which began in 2013. He stands charged with fraud, laundering proceeds of crime and two counts of uttering threats

According to police, the alleged offences occurred between December 5, 2007 and February 28, 2013 in Lacombe and involved two numbered companies (1518869 Alberta Ltd. / 1367158 Alberta Ltd.), as well as N.E.X.T. Legacy Technologies Ltd.

Mounties allege Skinner misrepresented and advertised a ‘revolutionary fracking product’ which resulted in lucrative financial gains. As a result, numerous victims were enticed to invest in the company, with losses to those investors reported to be over $2.6 million.

Skinner told Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Susan Bercov on Monday that hundreds of witnesses would be required for the trial, including some already using his product in the United States and Africa.

“This is not going to be a small trial,” he warned.