By Sheldon Spackman

ALERT INVESTIGATION

Preliminary hearing scheduled for man charged in central Alberta auto crimes investigation

Jan 10, 2025 | 2:47 PM

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for one of six people charged following a year-long investigation into an organized auto theft and revinning operation.

Joseph Chlala, 23, of Calgary, is slated to find out if his case has enough evidence to go to trial in Edmonton Court of Justice from Sept. 15-19, 2025.

ALERT Auto Crimes unit says it arrested four of the six suspects between June 18 and July 2, 2024, with a total of 20 charges laid. ALERT alleges the group was involved in a sophisticated auto theft and revinning operation, which was based at a rural location in Parkland County near Evansburg, Alta.

One of the suspects, Joseph Chlala, had been wanted for murder since September 2023.

ALERT’s investigation began in June 2023 when a stolen vehicle was identified and linked to an Edmonton homicide investigation. The vehicle was then connected to a rural address, which was purporting to be an auto detailer but in actuality was being used to re-VIN and reprogram stolen vehicles for resale and exportation.

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In total ALERT says it identified a total of 20 stolen vehicles and one stolen car-hauler trailer. Eleven of the 20 stolen vehicles have been recovered, representing a total value of approximately $1 million. The organization says other vehicles are suspected of having been exported to Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

Six people have been charged:

• Joseph Chlala is charged with possession of property obtained by crime, tampering with a vehicle identification number, and criminal mischief;
• Michael Labar, 47, of Red Deer, is charged with possession of property obtained by crime, tampering with a vehicle identification number, criminal mischief, possession of proceeds of crime, and laundering proceeds of crime.
• Quinn Olson, 49, of Red Deer, is charged with uttering a forged document.
• Zarina Mir-Wais, 32, of Red Deer, is charged with uttering a forged document.
• Sherry Mackenzie, 67, of Red Deer, is charged with trafficking property obtained by crime, using a forged document, fraud, possession of proceeds of crime, and laundering proceeds of crime.
• Cherie Baptiste, 40, of Red Deer, is charged with possession of proceeds of crime.

Sherry Mackenzie, Michael Labar, Cherie Baptiste, and Quinn Olson, all have court appearances later this month. According to Alberta Justice, however, an arrest warrant was issued for Zarina Mir-Wais on July 8, 2024, and remains outstanding.

Anyone with information on this investigation, or the whereabouts of Mir-Wais, is asked to contact local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

ALERT received assistance from Edmonton Police Service, Calgary Police Service, Red Deer RCMP, Sylvan Lake RCMP, and RCMP K-Division Auto Theft unit.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.

Related: Wanted murderer amongst six charged in auto crimes investigation