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By Sheldon Spackman

2022 Investigation

Man sentenced to three years in major drug and weapons seizure in Olds

Jun 24, 2025 | 2:44 PM

A man charged in a major drug and weapons seizure in Olds has been sentenced to three years in jail.

Eric Donald Becker, 36, was sentenced in Calgary Court of Justice on June 23, 2025, after being convicted on charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm. Eighteen other counts against him were withdrawn.

Becker, described by police as a suspected drug dealer and repeat offender, was originally sentenced to three years with a global sentence of 1,826 days due to additional charges on unrelated matters.

With 810 days of credit for time already served, however, Becker has 1,016 days left to serve in his sentence which is to be served at the Bowden Institution. He was also given a firearms prohibition.

Becker was charged after police seized four guns and over $100,000 worth of drugs from two homes and a pair of vehicles in the fall of 2022.

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On Dec. 6, 2023, Brad Lundeen, Inspector of ALERT Regional Teams, displayed the seized items at the Red Deer RCMP Detachment, which included:

• 285 grams of fentanyl
• 201 grams of cocaine
• 697 grams of methamphetamine
• 2,900 ml of GHB
• 372 hydromorphine pills, including roughly 300 other prescription pills
• Four firearms
• $8,445 in cash

ALERT said the investigation began in September 2022 after the team received information about drug trafficking in the community. Lundeen stated 15 officers from ALERT Red Deer’s organized crime team were utilized for the investigation, as well as the Olds RCMP detachment and one officer from the Sundre detachment.

On Nov. 24, 2022, officials say the ALERT team and officers from both RCMP detachments searched two homes and two vehicles.

ALERT confirmed at the time that the suspect was bound by a lifetime firearms prohibition. Of the four firearms in his possession, officers confirmed two were stolen handguns (pistols) from separate law enforcement jurisdictions. Lundeen said drug trafficking activities, particularly large scale ones, usually entail a criminal network beyond city boundaries. He said the two handguns could have been previously legally purchased with a restricted license prior to the federal handgun freeze.

The two other guns, he said, included a revolver, prohibited due to its large size in length, and a riffle, modified for a shorter barrel.

ALERT confirmed the firearms were to be submitted for further forensic testing and ballistics analysis within the province to determine if they were previously used in any other crimes.

Becker was originally facing 19 charges and also six breach charges related to a previous and similar ALERT investigation in February 2022, in addition to being charged in November 2021, as well.

The main concern, according to Lundeen, is that the dealings were taking place at a wholesale volume with a variety of types of street drugs in the same location. He said fentanyl in particular is a call for concern with its high rates of overdose deaths.

Although Lundeen said they are not seeing more of the drugs than usual, he did say the seizure was considerable for a small community.

“The wholesale of drugs of this volume in the community is impactful to those communities as the consumers are often addictions-based,” he said. “That then causes escalation within rural crime in the Olds area as it relates to property crimes and thefts based on those addictions. Seizures of this volume have a significant impact on that industry and the ability to obtain these dugs within the Olds and central Alberta area.”

Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police or anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of some of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. They have eight regional based teams across the province.

Related: Trial scheduled for man charged in major drug and weapons seizure in Olds

Related: Over $100,000 worth of drugs and four guns seized from repeat offender in Olds