(rdnewsNOW)

By Sheldon Spackman

May 2023 Incident

Charges withdrawn for one suspect in local drug and firearms seizure, arrest warrant issued for second suspect

Apr 30, 2024 | 4:22 PM

Charges have been withdrawn for one of two people charged in a drug and firearms seizure in Blackfalds last year, while the second person charged has a warrant out for their arrest.

Candace Danielle Payne, 40, of Red Deer, and Chad Daniel Wickett, 32, also of Red Deer, were scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Red Deer Court of Justice on April 26, 2024.

However, Payne saw all of her charges withdrawn in court that day, while a warrant for arrest was issued for Wickett.

Payne was facing two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of the proceeds of crime, selling unpackaged tobacco, and multiple firearm offences.

According to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC), Crown counsel must only proceed with prosecutions where two conditions are met: there is a reasonable prospect of conviction, and the prosecution is in the public interest. In this case, according to the PPSC, the Crown determined that the prosecution against Payne no longer met this criteria and withdrew the charges.

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Wickett, meantime, failed to appear for the preliminary inquiry, so a warrant for arrest was issued.

The preliminary hearing was to determine if their case has enough evidence to go to trial.

It was in March 2023, when Blackfalds RCMP say they began an investigation into drug trafficking in the Blackfalds and Red Deer areas.

As a result of the investigation, on May 2, 2023, with assistance from members in Sylvan Lake, Red Deer, and Police Dog Services, officers conducted two search warrants in the Glendale area of Red Deer and seized:

• 28.9 grams of suspected Methamphetamine
• 13.5 grams of suspected Fentanyl
• 2 firearms (one loaded)

“This investigation saw GIS units from three RCMP detachments working collaboratively to bring things to their successful conclusion,“ said Sgt. Brent Dueck, acting Detachment Commander, Blackfalds RCMP.

RCMP charged Chad Wickett and Candace Payne with:

• Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x2)
• Possession of the proceeds of crime
• Selling unpackaged tobacco
• Multiple firearms offences

Related: Preliminary hearing scheduled for pair charged in local drug trafficking investigation

Related: Red Deer pair, one of them still wanted, charged after drug seizure

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