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Priority Crimes Task Force Charges Four After Counterfeit Credit Card Search Warrant

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A man and a woman face a total of 84 criminal charges related to stolen and counterfeit credit cards after a Priority Crimes Task Force investigation that began in early March and culminated in a search warrant at a Sylvan Lake residence where RCMP seized credit card counterfeiting items and stolen credit cards. The investigation and search warrant were executed collaboratively by Red Deer and Sylvan Lake RCMP.
 
Shortly before 9:30 am on March 16, RCMP executed the search warrant at a residence on Sylvan Drive and took four people into custody without incident. During the search, RCMP seized a number of stolen credit cards, cheques, identity documents, what is believed to be methamphetamine, and a shotgun. With regard to the counterfeit investigation, RCMP seized numerous electronics and items consistent with counterfeit and forgery activities, including a credit card embossing machine and a card printer.
 
RCMP then spent many more hours investigating the origin of the items seized to determine which were stolen and which may be forgeries in order to lay the appropriate charges. A number of the credit cards and identity documents had been stolen after they were left in vehicles that were subsequently broken into, in central Alberta and beyond.
 
42 year old James Johnstone Jardine was wanted on six outstanding warrants for fraud under $5,000 at the time of his arrest and now faces 43 further charges:
·         Criminal Code 342.01 – Possession of instrument used for forging credit cards X 3
·         Criminal Code 342(1)(b) – Forgery of credit card
·         Criminal Code 366(1)(a) – Forgery X 7
·         Criminal Code 91(1) – Unauthorized possession of a firearm
·         Criminal Code 86(1) – Careless use of a firearm
·         Criminal Code 355(b) – Possession of stolen property under $5,000 X 28
·         Criminal Code 733.1(1) – Fail to comply with probation X 2
Jardine is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on September 18 at 9:30 am.
 
46 year old Rachel Jean Meyerink was wanted on an outstanding warrant at the time of her arrest and faces the following 41 additional charges:
·         Criminal Code 342.01 – Possession of instrument used for forging credit cards X 3
·         Criminal Code 342(1)(b) – Forgery of credit card
·         Criminal Code 366(1)(a) – Forgery X 7
·         Criminal Code 91(1) – Unauthorized possession of a firearm
·         Criminal Code 86(1) – Careless use of a firearm
·         Criminal Code 355(b) – Possession of stolen property under $5,000 X 28
Meyerink is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on September 18 at 9:30 am.
 
44 year old Chance Tosh Murananka faces the following charges:
·         CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I substance (methamphetamine)
·         Criminal Code 145(3) – Fail to comply with conditions
Chance Muranka is scheduled to appear in court in Red Deer on August 1 at 9:30 am.
 
41 year old Travis Jeremy Murananka has already appeared in court and been sentenced on the following charges:
·         Criminal Code 355(b) – Possession of stolen property under $5,000
·         Criminal Code 145(3) – Fail to comply with conditions
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Crime

Suspected ambush leaves two firefighters dead in Idaho

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Two firefighters were killed and another wounded Sunday after a gunman opened fire on first responders tackling a blaze near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The shooter was later found dead, and authorities believe the fire may have been set to lure crews into an ambush.

Key Details:

  • The ambush began around 2 p.m. local time as fire crews arrived at a brush fire and were met with sniper-style gunfire from a wooded area.
  • SWAT teams located the deceased suspect roughly five hours later, with a weapon nearby. His identity has not yet been released.
  • The Kootenai County Sheriff said the ongoing fire could not be addressed during the gunfight, calling the attack a “heinous direct assault” on first responders.

Diving Deeper:

A deadly ambush on Sunday afternoon left two Idaho firefighters dead and a third injured after they were shot while attempting to contain a brush fire on Canfield Mountain. The surprise attack reportedly began around 2 p.m., when bullets suddenly rained down on emergency crews from hidden positions in the wooded terrain near Coeur d’Alene.

Authorities now believe the blaze may have been deliberately set as bait. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris described the situation as “an active sniper attack,” saying the scene quickly escalated into chaos with gunfire coming from multiple directions.

“We don’t know if there’s one, two, three or four [shooters],” Norris said in an early evening press conference. “I’m hoping that someone has a clear shot and is able to neutralize [the suspect], because they’re not showing any signs of surrendering.”

Roughly five hours after the first shots were fired, SWAT officers found a body next to a firearm along the Canfield Mountain Trail. Authorities have not confirmed whether the individual was the sole assailant, nor have they publicly identified the person. The FBI, along with state and local agencies, had been deployed to the scene to assist with the operation.

The two firefighters who died have not yet been named. The third, who sustained a gunshot wound, was transported to Kootenai Health and remains hospitalized. His current condition is unknown.

The firefight effectively halted efforts to contain the brush fire, which remained active late into Sunday. “It’s going to keep burning. We can’t put any resources on it right now,” Norris said during the standoff. Shelter-in-place orders were issued for the surrounding area, including the popular Canfield Mountain Trailhead, but those restrictions were lifted after the suspect was found dead.

Idaho Governor Brad Little reacted to the tragedy on social media, calling the ambush “a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.” He added, “Teresa and I are heartbroken. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”

Federal and local officials are continuing to investigate the incident, including the origins of the fire and whether additional suspects may have been involved.

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Crime

Florida rescues 60 missing kids in nation’s largest-ever operation

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Quick Hit:

Florida authorities have recovered 60 “critically missing” children in a two-week operation across the Tampa Bay area. The joint state and federal effort, dubbed Operation Dragon Eye, led to eight arrests and uncovered new human trafficking investigations.

Key Details:

  • The children, aged 9 to 17, were found across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties. The operation was carried out with help from the U.S. Marshals, state prosecutors, and local police departments.

  • Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed eight individuals were arrested on charges including human trafficking, child endangerment, and drug-related offenses. Additional investigations are underway.

  • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) hailed the operation as the most successful child recovery effort in U.S. history, declaring, “Florida doesn’t look the other way — we hunt predators and bring kids home.”

Diving Deeper:

Over a two-week span, law enforcement agencies across Florida joined forces for what’s being called a historic child recovery mission. Dubbed Operation Dragon Eye, the coordinated effort led to the rescue of 60 critically missing children—some as young as 9 years old—in the Tampa Bay region, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties.

According to Fox 13, federal and state agencies worked alongside local law enforcement, with direct involvement from the U.S. Marshals Service and Florida prosecutors. The term “critically missing,” as defined by the Marshals Service, applies to minors facing heightened threats such as exposure to violent crime, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, or domestic violence.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier praised the operation’s success in a statement posted to social media Monday. “We will keep fighting evil head-on and bringing accountability to those who harm children,” he said, confirming eight suspects had been taken into custody, with additional investigations now underway related to human trafficking networks.

Charges filed against the arrested individuals include human trafficking, child endangerment, custodial interference, and drug possession.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement described the effort as “the most successful missing child recovery operation in American history.” In a statement, the agency said its analysts and field agents “were proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. Marshals” and emphasized that “Florida doesn’t look the other way.”

Several nonprofits and local support groups played a vital role in caring for the recovered children, including More Too Life, the Children’s Home Network, Bridging Freedom, Bridges of Hope, Family Support Services of Pasco and Pinellas, and Redefining Refuge.

Dr. Katherine Gomez of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice said many of these children had felt hopeless and alone. “Oftentimes these young people have felt like there’s no one in their corner. They feel abandoned… like they have to look out for themselves because no one else will,” she told WFLA.

FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass acknowledged the emotional toll such operations take on officers, who are exposed to the trauma these children endure. “They have to see everything that happens to these children, and we need to pray for them because they had to take that burden home,” he said.

Glass added that while the operation struck a major blow to human trafficking in the region, the threat remains. “The fight isn’t over.”

U.S. Marshal Bill Berger of the Middle District of Florida warned that traffickers often return to their victims if not apprehended. “If the offenders are not apprehended, they will reconnect with these children. They are, in my opinion, leeches,” Berger stated.

Officials vowed continued vigilance to keep predators behind bars and ensure every vulnerable child is found and protected.

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