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Post by Sher on May 24, 2005 13:09:17 GMT -5
VERNON, B.C. -- The arrest of a Vernon man for allegedly using drugs to lure underage girls into prostitution has shaken the community.
"It's kind of frightening that this is going on," said Vernon city Coun. Pat Cochrane. "It's terrible when anyone is forced into prostitution, let alone young girls."
Vernon RCMP raided the Village Green Hotel last Tuesday and found the 42-year-old man, two 16-year-old girls and a 32-year-old prostitute occupying three rooms.
"We can't say for certain if the girls were already addicted before the incident, but drugs were definitely involved," said Vernon RCMP Cpl. Robert Daly.
COCAINE FOUND
Cocaine was found in the hotel rooms where the girls were being groomed for work in the sex trade, he said.
Cochrane said people in the Okanagan city of 36,000 are "surprised and disgusted" by the allegations.
Kevin Williams Michaloski is charged with living off the avails of prostitution, keeping a common bawdy house, possessing narcotics for the purposes of trafficking and failure to comply with a probation order.
He was released on bail until his next court appearance on June 8.
ADVERTISED IN NEWSPAPERS
According to Daly, Michaloski advertised in the Vernon newspapers as AAA Escorts.
Police raided the hotel after a tip from the mother of one of the girls.
Her daughter was taken into custody by the Ministry of Children and Families and then released into her care.
The second girl is in custody. She told police she's been on the streets since she was 12.
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Post by Sher on May 28, 2005 10:55:39 GMT -5
KAMLOOPS, B.C. -- A man who pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife in March killed her with a rifle before turning the gun on himself in the community of Knouff Lake, police said.
The woman, Marie Helen Johnston, was described by police as in her early 40s. Also dead is Michael Gordon Johnston, in his 60s.
Police found their bodies in the driveway of a Knouff Lake house, near a pickup truck. A rifle was on the ground nearby. Police said neighbours reported the man killed the woman before turning the gun on himself.
The shooting happened at about 4:15 p.m. Thursday outside a residence owned by Dallas Benton, who neighbours said was a family friend of the Johnstons.
Police said the man was convicted of assault against his wife stemming from a March 12 incident at their home.
Numerous guns were seized at the time.
Johnston pleaded guilty in provincial court May 11.
Judge Rory Walters gave the man a conditional discharge with 18 months' probation, meaning he would not have had a criminal record had he completed the term without further trouble. Terms of the probation order prohibited Johnston from consuming alcohol. As well, he was ordered to take counselling as directed.
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Post by Sher on Jun 11, 2005 0:24:58 GMT -5
LANGLEY, B.C. -- A member of the RCMP detachment in this Vancouver suburb has been arrested in connection with an investigation into the viewing and possession of child pornography, a police spokesman said.
In a statement released late Wednesday, Cpl. Dale Carr said the Integrated Internet Child Exploitation Unit is conducting an investigation into child pornography and it involves a member of the Langley detachment.
The unit and the Langley detachment began its investigation in February into the RCMP member's possible involvement, the statement said.
The officer was arrested Sunday and later released from custody on a promise to appear later. The officer, whose name was not released, was suspended with pay.
The investigation is continuing and its results will be sent to the regional Crown counsel to consider whether charges are to be laid.
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Post by Sher on Jul 18, 2005 21:35:39 GMT -5
B.C. police outline raids against Hells Angels CTV.ca News Staff
Raids stemming from a 23-month investigation into the B.C. Hells Angels motorcycle gang turned up drugs, guns, cash and resulted in 17 arrests so far, police say.
RCMP Const. Cam Kowalski said Monday that it was the first time police have laid charges under the criminal organization provisions of the Criminal Code to the Hells Angels in B.C.
Asked to rate this effort, Kowalski told CTV.ca: "This is the most significant to date."
But the matter is still under investigation and has to be proven in a court of law, he said. "But we're quite confident with the evidence that we've gathered that we'll be successful."
Kowalski is spokesman for EPANDORA, a joint project by the RCMP and Vancouver police.
Officers executed 12 different search warrants in the raids carried out Friday in Kelowna and East Vancouver. They seized:
More than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine More than 20 kilograms of cocaine More than 70 kilograms of marijuana Restricted and Prohibited Weapons which include five handguns, fully automatic weapons including silencers, 11 sticks of dynamite with detonation cord and blasting caps, four grenades and an assortment of ammunition More than $200,000 in Canadian currency 250 kilograms of Methylamine (a precursor for the production of ecstasy) Police hit two methamphetamine laboratories as part of the raids.
Six of the 17 charged were "full-patch" members of the notorious motorcycle gang.
Despite the arrests, high-ranking Hells Angels member Rick Ciarniello told CTV News his organization is being wrongfully persecuted by the police.
"I kind of thought that in order to be classified as a criminal you had to do something illegal. Now apparently it's what you wear, and who you socialize with," he said.
None of the items seized were taken from Hells Angels property, Ciarniello added.
There are Hells Angels chapters in Vancouver, East End Vancouver, White Rock, Mission and Haney – along with the Nomads, who don't have a geographic base, Kowalski said.
Ten of those charged were described as associates of the East End chapter, and one man was labeled a "hang-around," a lower-level person in the gang hierarchy.
One suspect, Kerry Ryan Renaud, 25, remains at large. Police consider him armed and dangerous, although Renaud has reportedly indicated he will turn himself in.
Some of the suspects had court appearances Monday. The charges include drug trafficking, weapons possession, assault, threatening, and either committing or directing an offence in association with a criminal organization.
If convicted on standard criminal charges and the "criminal organization" charges, the accused would be sentenced for the standard offences, and then have an additional sentence of up to 14 years added by their trial judge.
Police say more arrests are expected, adding the raids may have prevented a planned expansion by the East End Hells Angels into Kelowna.
"You can't arrest this many members without having an impact on their finances, on their morale, on their structure," reporter Julian Sher told CTV News.
On the weekend, John Bryce, a spokesman for the Hells Angels, took reporters on a tour of one property police raided.
"There was like seven doors busted in here, and people can come in one door," he said.
"There were two members here at the time, and they said, 'yeah, we'll open the door,' but they didn't even listen, like they were deaf, eh?"
Bryce's son was one of those arrested -- a fact he didn't volunteer to reporters.
The Hells Angels have always maintained they are simply a motorcycle club and not a criminal gang.
However, earlier this month an Ontario judge convicted two Hells Angels members of working in association with a criminal organization after finding them guilty of extortion. The two have not been sentenced yet.
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Post by Sher on Aug 2, 2005 18:46:48 GMT -5
COQUITLAM, B.C. -- RCMP say a 51-year-old man was shot dead yesterday morning in his Coquitlam residence, where police discovered more than 200 marijuana plants worth an estimated $30,000.
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Pierre Lemaitre says police believe the shooting is directly connected to the marijuana growing operation.
Lemaitre says "violence does seem to show up" in such situations.
Coquitlam RCMP received an anonymous call reporting gunshots around 8:30 a.m. and shortly after received a 911 call from the victim, asking for an ambulance.
He says police were knocking at the man's door when the ambulance call came in.
The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to Royal Columbian Hospital, where he later died.
Lemaitre said police do not have a suspect or a suspect vehicle. He could not confirm whether the victim was known to police.
According to Lemaitre, most home invasions in the Lower Mainland are connected to marijuana-growing operations.
"Usually, the minute people on the street talk about a home invasion, you know pretty darn well that it's going to be related to some kind of rip-off of a grow-op," he said.
"There might be one out of 10 that isn't related, but I'd say on average this type of forced entry with violence is related to a marijuana rip-off."
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Post by Sher on Feb 27, 2006 11:38:53 GMT -5
DAWSON CREEK, B.C. -- The RCMP has called its major crime unit and the B.C. Coroners Service after two bodies were discovered in a burned-out car.
Police and fire crews were called to an early morning car fire on Thursday, police said in a release.
The bodies were discovered when the fire was put out.
The names of the victims are not being released until relatives are notified.
RCMP were unavailable for comment.
Dawson Creek is 240 km northeast of Prince George.
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Post by guy on Apr 9, 2006 14:20:46 GMT -5
VANCOUVER -- One person is in critical condition after the driver of a car apparently lost control and plowed through the window of a downtown Vancouver 7-Eleven yesterday morning.
Police on the scene said the driver, a woman "past retirement age," likely struck a curb before careening across an intersection and into the store.
Five people inside the store were taken to hospital. Police said it's believed the person in critical condition was a store clerk.
The driver of the black Nissan Altima and her male passenger were unhurt.
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Post by guy on Apr 9, 2006 14:23:33 GMT -5
VANCOUVER -- Popular Afghani pop star Nasrat Parsa died Sunday after being swarmed on the street outside his hotel following a performance at a downtown Vancouver theatre, police said yesterday.
"He had been approached by three male suspects, one punched him and he fell down some stairs, hitting his head," said Const. Tim Fanning of the Vancouver police. "He was rushed to hospital and was pronounced dead."
Parsa, 36, who lived in Germany, died at 11:25 p.m. on Sunday. He had produced 10 albums since he started recording in 1989.
He was discovered during a New Year's celebration on Radio Kabul. During the live show he performed two famous hits by his idol, Ahmad Zahir. The entertainer, who Parsa has described as the greatest artist to ever live in Afghanistan, was so impressed with the show that he helped Parsa launch his career.
He toured all over the world and had been in Canada for the past month, promoting his new album, Dil, a collection of soft melodies released last fall.
According to the singer's official website, Parsa left Afghanistan with his family for Pakistan when he was 12, but he began performing as a young boy, appearing on a radio show in Kabul at the age of seven. The family later moved to India.
Parsa, 36, performed in Toronto last week and sang on Mother's Day in Vancouver.
After the show, Fanning said Parsa was outside his East Vancouver hotel with his brother when he was assaulted.
Najib Parsa said he believes the attack on his brother may have grown out of anger from an unhappy concert-goer.
Some in the audience were dancing and wanted Nasrat Parsa to perform faster-paced songs.
After the family returned to the hotel, three young men arrived at around 1 a.m., asking for an autograph and to have their picture taken with the singer, his brother said.
When Nasrat Parsa shook one of the fan's hands, the man held on to his hand and punched him with his free hand, Najib Parsa said. He fell, striking his head on the stone steps.
Police happened to be in the area at the time, and saw a suspect running away. The area was surrounded and a tracking dog was unleashed to search the area.
Police said a 19-year-old man from suburban Burnaby was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault.
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Post by guy on Apr 9, 2006 14:25:21 GMT -5
VANCOUVER -- Police in Alberta and British Columbia are looking for a suburban Langley man wanted for a sex crime and assaulting fisheries officers in Alberta.
"This is a man very much on the edge," said Langley RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr.
Police allege William Carl Dahlman, 45, forcibly confined a woman and sexually assaulted her in a Langley home on April 3. He was arrested and released subject to court conditions.
When he broke those conditions he was re-arrested and released again with tougher conditions and a $10,000 surety, police said.
Carr said Dahlman failed to show up at work for several days, then on May 5 he allegedly assaulted two fisheries officers in Cochrane, 45 km west of Calgary.
According to Alberta Mounties, Dahlman attacked the fisheries officers with a screwdriver after they found him sleeping in a truck with stolen licence plates alongside a creek.
One officer suffered minor injuries and Dahlman eluded police during a 15-hour foot chase.
Carr said witnesses have told police Dahlman has threatened that "somebody is going to get hurt" and "I will not return to jail."
"We are very concerned for Dahlman's safety and for the safety of anyone that gets in his way," Carr said.
Dahlman's mother, who did not want to be named, said her son called her for Mother's Day and refused to say where he was.
"He said he didn't want to turn himself in," said the woman, who has five other children.
"He doesn't want to go to jail. It's a big worry.
"He said he has a brain tumour and that's giving him bad thoughts."
Dahlman is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for assault, sexual assault, forcible confinement, breach of a court order, uttering threats and criminal harassment.
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Post by guy on Apr 9, 2006 14:26:34 GMT -5
VANCOUVER -- A coroner hopes the unique T-shirt and sock on the body of a man found in the Similkameen River will help identify him.
"We have no idea where he went into the water," said coroner Mike Barrett. "The body was relatively decomposed."
A fisherman found the body face down, "tangled up in some driftwood" in about 30 centimetres of water on Saturday, said Barrett.
"It was a reasonably remote area about 10 km southeast of Princeton."
The results of an autopsy haven't been released yet and Barrett said he didn't know how long the body had been in the river.
The man was white, about five-foot-eight, 25 to 40 years old, with a slim build, reddish, grey/brown hair and a beard.
His teeth were also in bad shape, Barrett said.
The body has no tattoos or other identifying marks, but the man was wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon that reads: "In Alberta we don't have town drunks, we all take turns: Twin Lakes KM 144 McKenzie HWY."
He wore a sock with a label from the Bashaw Health Centre bearing the name Doug Wilson.
The centre in Bashaw, an hour southeast of Edmonton, has 25 long-term care beds and a family medical clinic. A clerk at the clinic wouldn't comment on the situation.
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Post by guy on Apr 9, 2006 14:28:22 GMT -5
VANCOUVER -- A coroner hopes the unique T-shirt and sock on the body of a man found in the Similkameen River will help identify him.
"We have no idea where he went into the water," said coroner Mike Barrett. "The body was relatively decomposed."
A fisherman found the body face down, "tangled up in some driftwood" in about 30 centimetres of water on Saturday, said Barrett.
"It was a reasonably remote area about 10 km southeast of Princeton."
The results of an autopsy haven't been released yet and Barrett said he didn't know how long the body had been in the river.
The man was white, about five-foot-eight, 25 to 40 years old, with a slim build, reddish, grey/brown hair and a beard.
His teeth were also in bad shape, Barrett said.
The body has no tattoos or other identifying marks, but the man was wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon that reads: "In Alberta we don't have town drunks, we all take turns: Twin Lakes KM 144 McKenzie HWY."
He wore a sock with a label from the Bashaw Health Centre bearing the name Doug Wilson.
The centre in Bashaw, an hour southeast of Edmonton, has 25 long-term care beds and a family medical clinic. A clerk at the clinic wouldn't comment on the situation.
A body found in a river near Princeton, B.C., Saturday was wearing a sock from a Bashaw health centre that bore the name Doug Wilson.
But that's likely not his name, said a relative of a Doug Wilson who died last year but had stayed at an elder-care facility in Killam, an hour and 15 minutes away from Bashaw.
"If people are held in long-term care, their clothes are stamped and marked," said the woman, who did not want to be identified.
Doug Wilson was "well off" and his wife donated his clothing to charity after he died, possibly to the Twice Nice thrift store in Bashaw, 156 km northeast of Edmonton.
The sock also had the Bashaw Health Centre insignia on it.
The man was also wearing a joke shirt which read, "We don't have town drunks in Alberta, we all take turns: Twin Lakes KM 144 McKenzie HWY."
The mystery shirt originated from Twin Lakes Paradise Resort, 40 minutes north of Manning, 582 km northwest of Edmonton.
Bashaw RCMP are now assisting B.C. authorities in identifying the body found in the Similkameen River near Princeton.
"We have a reasonable idea of the identity of the body, but we're not ready to release anything yet," Penticton coroner Mike Barrett said yesterday.
"We're working with a particular family (on identifying the body), but we're not sure it's the right one."
Barrett said investigators are waiting on dental records.
Bashaw RCMP Sgt. Mike Coady said his detachment was contacted by the B.C. coroner to assist in "identifying the found remains."
"I believe what we've found out has assisted them," he said.
The man is believed to have been living in Summerland, B.C., for an unknown period, the coroner said.
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