Third and final suspect sentenced in Red Deer drug and firearms bust

Unauthorized possession of firearm

Knowing possess prohibited/restricted weapon (X2)

Three other charges were stayed, with Wales also given a lifetime firearms prohibition.

Earlier this month, co-accused Brandon Caleb Robertson, 30, plead guilty to counts of possess property over $5000, and possess prohibited firearm in Red Deer Court of King’s Bench on Jan. 12, 2026. He was sentenced to nine months in jail, while 12 other counts against him were withdrawn.

His sentence, which includes a firearms prohibition, is to be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment he’s currently serving. According to Alberta Justice, Robertson is already serving a sentence of two years plus a day, imposed on Nov. 4, 2024. In that unrelated matter, Robertson was convicted on one count of robbery with a firearm.

A second co-accused, Adrian Mollica Lazzaro, 43, was convicted on two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and sentenced in Red Deer Court of Justice on Jan. 14, 2025, to 4,197 days in jail, less 584 days of pre-trial custody, leaving him 3,613 days (9 yrs, 10 months, 19 days) left to serve as of that date. He was also given a firearms prohibition.

ALERT Red Deer’s organized crime team and the RCMP’s Central Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) say they collaborated on a year-long investigation, which concluded with arrests in late September 2023. Police say the investigation resulted in more than $325,000 worth of drugs being seized.

The three people arrested included a suspect believed to have been responsible for an Innisfail Super 8 robbery that occurred on May 29, 2023, says ALERT.

Brandon Robertson was arrested for the robbery-related offences on June 6, 2023. ALERT alleged Robertson was also involved in drug trafficking, and despite his arrest, the investigation proceeded, and additional suspects were identified.

ALERT says three Red Deer homes were ultimately searched, resulting in a large amount of drugs and firearms being seized, including:

AK-47 rifle with magazine;

Three handguns and prohibited magazines;

1,573 grams of fentanyl;

78 grams of methamphetamine;

34 grams of cocaine;

265 grams of a cocaine buffing agent; and

32 oxycodone and morphine pills.

ALERT says the AK-47, which is banned in Canada, was seized from an apartment in the Clearview Ridge neighbourhood along with various amounts of ammunition. How the semi-automatic rifle was acquired was being further investigated. Meanwhile, one of the handguns seized was confirmed to have been previously stolen in the Vermilion, Alta. area, said officials with ALERT.

Brandon Robertson was originally charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, numerous firearms offences, and failure to comply with release conditions.

Nicholas Wales was originally charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of an unauthorized firearm, and possession of an unauthorized device.

Adrian Lazzaro, meantime, was originally charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

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

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

by Sheldon Spackman

Third and final suspect sentenced in Red Deer drug and firearms bust

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