By Troy Gillard

court

Man sentenced for 2018 kidnapping in Red Deer

Jun 11, 2020 | 3:15 PM

A local man is to spend two more years behind bars for a kidnapping incident in Red Deer.

It was shortly before 7 a.m. on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 when Red Deer RCMP responded to a gas station on 39 Street near 40 Avenue after a witness reported seeing a woman possibly being forced into a vehicle.

Mounties identified a possible victim and one possible suspect and began checking numerous residences and vehicles matching the description of the suspect vehicle throughout the day. The RCMP Major Crimes Unit (MCU) out of Edmonton and the RCMP Emergency Response Team were also called in.

Shortly after 3 p.m. that afternoon, RCMP received a public tip regarding the location of the suspect and victim, and located them at a south hill residence. Police arrested one male suspect and determined that the victim had suffered injuries that did not require hospitalization. A second male suspect was arrested later the same evening.

Both suspects were known to the victim, RCMP said at the time.

Prevention, Access, Recovery, and Coordination

Safe Harbour officially hands over shelter keys, establishes accessible navigation hub

17h ago

lacombe and sylvan lake

December 2025 (un)employment data released for Alberta sub-regions

18h ago

21 years with WCPS

Darcy Blum appointed principal of Lacombe Outreach School

19h ago

Ernest Frederick Ward, 48, was charged with kidnapping, forcible confinement, assault, sexual assault, uttering threat to cause death or bodily harm, obstructing justice, and two counts of breaching conditions.

Trial was to get underway in Red Deer on June 5 but the matter was concluded with Ward pleading guilty to kidnapping, sexual assault, and breaching conditions.

Ward was sentenced to four years behind bars, minus 621 days’ credit for pretrial custody, leaving him with 839 days left to serve. He’s banned for life from owning firearms and his name has been added to the National Sex Offender Registry.

Another man charged with kidnapping in relation to the incident was found not guilty in April 2019.