RCMP
News release
Peace River, Alberta – On March 3rd, 2017 the Peace Regional RCMP with the assistance of the Emergency Response Team executed two search warrants at a residence on 82nd Avenue and 94th Street in the town of Peace River. Seven occupants from within the residence were taken into police custody, no one else was involved in the incident.
Upon execution of the search warrants it became evident to police that they had now entered into the scene of another serious criminal investigation.
The Peace Regional Detachment & Peace Regional General Investigation Section along with the Edmonton RCMP General Investigation Section cooperatively investigated this incident and have determined that an adult male was forcibly confined, starting the day prior to the police executing the search warrants. The adult male victim was restrained, burned and beaten over hours. The injured male was discovered during the high risk execution by the Emergency Response Team.
Four of the adults originally taken into custody are facing further charges in relation to the Forcible Confinement & Aggravated Assault investigation.
31-year-old Eugene L’Hirondelle, 47-year-old Darren Taylor, 35-year-old Kimberly Stranaghan and 27-year-old Travis Cardinal, all of Peace River, Alberta each face the following four charges:
- Conspiracy to Commit Forcible Confinement
- Forcible Confinement
- Aggravated Assault
- Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault
All four remain in custody and a bail hearing was scheduled for Monday, March 20, 2017.
“RCMP believe this to be an isolated, drug related and targeted offence where there is no further risk to the general public” says Staff Sergeant Brent Meyer of Peace Regional RCMP. “This was definitely a situation of the RCMP being in the right place at the right time in order to stop the above offence.”
All charges are now before the courts.
BACKGROUND:
For Immediate Release:
March 4, 2017
Peace Regional RCMP and ERT execute High Risk Search Warrants – Update #2
Peace River, Alberta – The Peace Regional RCMP with the assistance of the Emergency Response Team executed two search warrants at a residence on 82nd Avenue and 94th Street in the town of Peace River. Seven occupants from within the residence were taken into police custody, no one else was involved in the incident.
The residence was searched by Peace Regional RCMP members and a number of items seized including:
- 220.4 grams of heroin
- 37.9 grams of methamphetamine
- 213.3 grams of cocaine/crack cocaine
- 230 grams of cannabis marihuana
- 120.5 grams of hashish
- 10 tablets of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine commonly known as Ecstasy or MDMA
- $1000 cash
- a number of pills and powders yet to be determined
- 12 long barrel guns (one with an altered serial number)
- 1 sawed off prohibited shotgun
- 2 handguns
- 1 prohibited magazine (30 rounds)
The following 6 occupants have been remanded to appear in Peace River Provincial Court, March 6th, 2017.
Eugene L’Hirondelle, a 31 year old male from Peace River, Alberta
Lilly Lizotte, a 42 year old female from Grimshaw, Alberta
Darren Taylor, a 47 year old male from Peace River, Alberta
Kimberly Stranaghan, a 35 year old female from Peace River, Alberta
Travis Cardinal, a 27 year old male from Peace River, Alberta
Deva Ominayak, a 29 year old female from Cadotte Lake, Alberta
In total 57 charges resulted from the investigation notably; 44 of these are firearms related charges, 5 breach of recognizance charges.
In addition, Darren Taylor faces 7 counts of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for the illicit drugs seized by police.
The 7th occupant an adult male from McLennan, Alberta was transported to Edmonton area Hospital with serious non-life threatening injuries. These injuries are completely unrelated to the search warrant or police involvement.
The investigation including processing of exhibits is ongoing and additional charges are pending.